How does the model work?

The cooperative housing model in right of use is widespread in countries such as Denmark o Uruguay, and in Catalonia it has been promoted since 2004 by different entities such as Sostre Cívic.

This alternative model of access to and ownership of housing has two basic characteristics that differentiate it from other types of cooperative housing: the collective property and the right of use.

 

These features are linked to the social interest, since the cooperatives in right of use are constituted, in essence, without profit, thus, it is the residents themselves who are their owners. In addition, they integrate public and private initiative in a non-speculative market.

Collective ownership

The cooperative is always the owner of the homes and is created with the intention of an indefinite duration. It is therefore not possible to transform the model to obtain privately owned homes. Collective ownership prevents speculation, since makes individual profit impossible from the rental or sale of the home. At the same time, it allows and encourages the participation of the members of the cooperative, who are also its owners, unlike a model in which ownership is public.

Ownership in the right of use model

In a right of use cooperative all the residents are part of one democratic and participatory organization.

Transfer of use

Homes are considered a utility and members of the cooperative can enjoy them indefinitely or for a very long period. It requires an initial contribution and the payment of monthly installments which derive from the costs of acquisition, maintenance and operation of the cooperative housing project, and not from the situation of the real estate market.

Investments in the right of use model

As the right of use is established for an indefinite period of time, members of the cooperative can live there throughout their lives. This allows you to have one stable housing where to develop your own long-term life project with ties to the territory.

In projects where the ownership of the land or the building does not belong to the cooperative, the period of the right of use may be limited. In the case of public lots transferred with surface rights, the period is generally 75 years.

If you want to know more, come to an information session!

Monthly, we organize informative talks open to the general public where the keys to cooperative housing in right of use and how we operate are explained. Sostre Cívic, in addition to presenting all our cooperative housing projects in active use and other resources where you can learn more about the model.

You can check the date and time of the next talk at our agenda.

We also hold information sessions for groups, where we provide collective advice. If you are already part of a group (of three or more people) with the motivation to start a project and go live together, write to us at info@sostrecivic.cat telling us a little about your project and specifying that you are interested in attending one of these sessions.

This is a service also open to non-members of the cooperative, but it is essential that before these sessions the majority of the group have attended the monthly information talk.