By Alberta Co-operative and Community Association (ACCA)

Co-op housing is an essential piece of the housing continuum in Alberta and Canada. However, as government subsidies continue to dwindle and current co-op assets face increasing maintenance costs, a number of units are threatened.

ACCA is proud to be partnering with the Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN) and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) on a research initiative to develop a better understanding of the current successes and challenges in co-op housing. This project will assess the financial needs of current co-ops, research solutions, and put forward recommendations for new co-op housing models such as the Limited Equity Housing Co-Ops (LEHCs), land trusts, and other models.

There are three main activities as part of this project:

• Consult with current co-op members, real estate professionals, and industry stakeholders
• Research and review applicable models and feasibility studies
• Dissemination of findings through education and recommendations

When the project is complete, the team expects the following outcomes:

• Recommendations to help bolster the co-op housing supply in Alberta
• Define potential housing employment opportunities to help develop housing co-ops
• Provide Alberta co-ops with the tools and resources to help navigate their rental/governance models
• Introduce new housing models to developers and communities.

Would you like to help with the research?

To help develop a better understanding of the current successes and challenges in co-op house, we are inviting existing co-op housing members or anyone interested in the research to complete the Co-op Stakeholder Engagement Contact Form.