Public administrations and cooperative housing

Sostre Cívic We are the leading cooperative in cooperative housing for lease in Catalonia.

We collaborate with administrations that want to promote social housing policies by transforming public or private assets into affordable, stable and community housing.

Cooperative housing in right of use (HCCU) is a proven model on an international scale that allows make a concerted housing policy ensuring the permanent protection of social use, community management and non-profit. Sostre Cívic, a cooperative approved as a social promoter by the Generalitat, we assume the promotion, construction and management of the homes, while the administration defines the social criteria and retains ownership of the land or heritage. This allows us to reduce administrative complexities, distribute responsibilities and provide a rapid response to local needs.

ⓘ Our promotion model is a concerted public policy: the city council defines the social criteria and objectives of the project, and the cooperative is responsible for promotion, construction and long-term management.

How can we collaborate?

1. Transfer of public land

We receive land transfers through tenders or direct adjudication, in application of urban planning and housing legislation. The promotion is carried out as a concerted public policy, in what The City Council maintains ownership of the land and defines its social criteria, while the cooperative assumes the promotion, construction and management of the homes. The competition can be slower and more complex, which is why many municipalities opt for direct award. → Study the land award

ⓘ Sostre Cívic is approved as a social promoter by the Generalitat and, in accordance with the Law, may be the recipient ofdirect land and property awards, a mechanism widely used in the field of social housing and collaboration with the third sector.

2. Acquisition of private assets for social purposes

We participate in the purchase of buildings or homes from the private market through the exercise of the Right of Trial and Withdrawal (which we have at our disposal as an approved Social Promoter) or direct purchase. This route allows:

Recover empty buildings
Finishing works stopped and abandoned by private developers
Acquisition of buildings with tenants in conflict with the property

These homes are incorporated into the HCCU model: they cease to be part of the private market and become public and collective heritage, with guaranteed social use. They become cooperative, affordable homes with indefinite protection, under non-profit community management.

3. Promotion of new projects

We offer technical and community support to promote new HCCU projects:

Feasibility studies of municipal land or buildings
Model dissemination and awareness-raising activities
Support for local groups in the initial phase

Examples of public collaboration

La Balma (Barcelona)

20 homes between 49 and 75 m² and 203 m² of community spaces

Development on transferred municipal land, new construction. Wooden structure building and inclusion housing.

Access to land: 2017 / Start of works: 2019 / Entry to live: 2021

Clau Mestra (Sant Cugat del V.)

11 homes between 38 and 63 m² and 72 m² of common spaces

Rehabilitation of a municipal building leased with partial self-construction by the group.

Access to land: 2019 / Start of works: 2021 / Entry to live: 2022

Mur (Hammer)

14 homes between 33 m² and 80 m²

First cooperative project in the country to be acquired through a first-come, first-served basis, and thanks to the fact that the cooperative is approved as a social promoter by the Housing Agency of Catalonia.

Acquisition: 2019 / Renovation: 2019 / Move-in: 2020

La Xicoira (Olesa de Montserrat)

25 homes between 43 m² and 74 m², and 168 m² of shared common spaces

Purchase of a stopped and abandoned construction to finish it and transform it into a HCCU. With the support of the Generalitat and the City Council. Subsequent transfer of the land to the City Council.

Acquisition: 2021 / Start of works: 2022 / Entry into use: 2023

El Cairó (Granollers)

29 homes between 49 m² and 71 m², and 421 m² of shared common spaces

Making a feasibility study on municipal land to promote HCCU which, later the City Council ceded to promote a project on this site.

Feasibility study: 2021 / Access to land: 2023 / Start of works: 2024 / Entry into use: 2027

Why collaborate with Sostre Cívic?

✔ Affordable and non-profit model

Promotion at cost price and indefinite duration
Objective and transparent housing allocation system, through a waiting list, with social criteria and possible preference for the local population

✔ Consolidated technical capacity

Internal team of 25 professionals (22,5 FTE): architecture, law, economics, facilitation, communication, etc.
La Constructiva: own cooperative construction company that allows the management of the work with ethical and environmental criteria.
€31 million credit from the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), the highest ever awarded to a cooperative in Europe.

✔ Social, environmental and territorial impact

Environmental sustainability: We build highly energy-efficient homes using renewable energy and energy savings of 30–50% compared to homes in the traditional market.
Social inclusion: We build inclusive housing in collaboration with social entities, for people in vulnerable situations
Social economy: We primarily contract services with companies in the social and solidarity economy in areas such as construction, finance, energy, communication or group facilitation. We commit to making and publishing an annual our Social Balance Sheet.
Territorial roots: Our communities integrate into the neighborhood, promote open activities, and share shared spaces and premises with the surrounding area. This encourages cooperation, neighborhood participation, and a bond with the territory.

📬 Do you want to promote cooperative housing in your municipality?

✉️ Write to us at info@sostrecivic.cat