Wohnbaugenossenschaft 'Heim', based in Vienna, was established in 1912 amid a severe housing crisis that affected the rapidly growing city. Founded by Franz Ullreich with support from the Christian-social tobacco workers’ union, 'Heim' emerged from the broader settlers’ movement of the time, which sought to provide organized, affordable housing as an alternative to makeshift settlements. The organisation initially focused on enabling access to quality living environments for middle-class residents and continues to uphold this mission over a century later.
'Heim' operates as a non-profit cooperative and manages residential properties not only in Vienna but also in Lower Austria, Burgenland, Styria, and Tyrol, demonstrating a regional reach beyond the capital. The cooperative regularly allocates new rental housing, which is available to applicants seeking relatively low-cost cooperative flats. Current projects remain accessible for public review on their website and cover a range of multi-unit buildings tailored to everyday needs, though precise numbers of units or tenants are not published on the site.
The scope of activities for 'Heim' includes the construction, management, and ongoing allocation of residential properties while emphasizing a sense of community and stability for residents. Their century-long history is rooted in Vienna’s broader tradition of social housing, but 'Heim' distinctly maintains a focus on cooperative structures and regional diversity within Austria. No evidence links this organisation to speculative housing or for-profit development activities.