HageButze is a self-managed, community housing project in Heidelberg’s Südstadt, on the former Mark Twain Village conversion site. It was established by a group seeking to create permanently affordable rental homes and shared spaces under the Mietshäuser Syndikat model. The house association, Gemeinsam Wohnen e.V., was founded on 27 May 2012; HageButze GmbH, the property-owning company, was established in October 2012. The project joined the Mietshäuser Syndikat in January 2013. 5
The project bought its buildings from the city on 24 June 2016. The property is owned by HageButze GmbH, whose two shareholders are the residents’ association and the Mietshäuser Syndikat; the shared governance structure prevents the property from being sold or converted into individual condominiums without both parties’ agreement. 48 Following renovation and adaptation, the buildings provide 26 homes and shared-use areas, according to the project’s current description. The Syndikat lists approximately 75 residents and a total living area of 2,400 square metres. 14
Residents live in a mix of shared flats, apartments and family homes. The project’s communal areas also support social, political, cultural and environmental activities. Its event space hosts concerts, readings, theatre and talks, and is intended to serve the wider neighbourhood as well as residents. 14 The project reports that its homes are occupied, although some renovation work remains unfinished. It finances the project through a combination of bank borrowing and subordinated loans, a model designed to allow participation without residents contributing personal equity. 18