Nearly 200 members of Sostre Cívic they participated in the annual meeting, preparing the cooperative for the growth that the 12 new projects will entail and the management of more than 500 cooperative homes that will be a reality in the next 2-3 years

The drought crisis, community management of care, and rent regulation focused on the topics of the training sessions

An exhaustive study of the 180 active homes reveals the diversity and well-being of the members living together

Last Saturday, April 20, Sostre Cívic celebrated its second annual meeting of members, an event that is the great meeting space between the nearly 1500 members of the cooperative. Again in the space of the Nau Bostic de Sant Andreu (Barcelona), near 200 people participated in the different training sessions, debates and, above all, meeting spaces. Generating these spaces is one of the main objectives of the meeting, necessary for a generate new affinity groups i improve management and promotion of new cooperative housing projects.

Three training sessions, held simultaneously, opened the day dealing with three topics that, although not directly related to cooperative housing, are tangential and have a direct impact on the work we do as a cooperative.

Formations with global and local challenges

Three simultaneous training sessions opened the day, dealing with key topics that, despite being tangential, have a direct impact on our work as a cooperative:

• Drought management and housing: with Albert Sagrera (Organic Society), samuel reyes (director of the Catalan Water Agency), i Isabel Palomera (Water is Life), it was discussed how cooperative housing can integrate strategies to reduce water use, adapting to the reality of climate change, in the same way that has been done with energy or the mobility It is not a minor issue: the 90% of water consumption in Barcelona comes from domestic use. From three very different areas, the speakers agreed on the importance of efficient management, reducing consumption and recirculation, as well as maintaining the ecosystem and water quality. 
• Care at the cooperative housing center: Silvia Bofill Poch, of the UB and the Network for the Right to Care, and Blanca Valdivia of the Punt 6 Collective proposed a revaluation of care and greater co-responsibility in its social and economic recognition. With more than 100 people, being the session with the most successful audience, they highlighted the need for more robust public policies and housing models that integrate care as a central element. This involves rethinking spaces to facilitate community life and mutual support, essential for a more inclusive and equitable society.
• The new housing law and the fight to lower rent prices: presented by Joana Rodríguez, of the Tenants' Union, which addressed the new regulation and how it affects the rights of the majority of expectant partners who are also affiliated to the Union since last September thanks to a collaboration agreement. it goes make it very clear that the new law prohibits increasing the price of all rents (regardless of who the owner is) in the renewal of contracts and obliges large holders to reduce rents that exceed the established price index. 

Cooperative discussions to prepare for the leap

With about 1500 current members, 180 active homes in 12 different buildings, i 12 additional projects underway, the need to evolve the organizational structure of Sostre Cívic It's obvious. Not more this year, work will begin on up to 9 new projects in Cardedeu, Palamós, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Lleida, Vilafranca del Penedès, Granollers and Barcelona. This will mean that Sostre Cívic will manage more than 500 cooperative homes by 2026. With this growth in mind, the meeting included a series of self-critical debates focused on preparing the cooperative for the near future of ladder jumping. The debates were organized into four thematic groups, each addressing different vital aspects of the cooperative housing model:

• Types of partners and participation: This group explored how to define and clarify the types of partners, including the rights and duties of each one: who can participate in the assemblies, sign the right of use contracts, and associated financial responsibilities. Some more inclusive policies were outlined that recognize various levels of commitment and responsibility within the cooperative.
• Transfer of right of use: Focusing on when and how the transfer of the right to use the homes can be made effective, this group debated the creation of a clear process that prioritizes partners according to their seniority but also involvement in existing projects. A more flexible system was proposed to adapt to the changing needs of partners and projects.
• Replicability quota: The bet of the model (collected by the XES and also in the corporate agreements of Sostre Cívic) is that you always pay for the use of the home. Our statutes currently include a minimum replicability quota to guarantee sustainability and encourage new projects in the future. The group discussed how to reflect the efforts of pioneering members and adapt to the evolution of future housing costs, balancing the promotion of new co-operative housing without financially burdening members.
• Update of share capital: The last group debated the introduction of methods of updating the social capital, putting on the table whether it would be convenient to update (with the CPI or other indices) economically the social capital deposited by the partners in a project over the years, thus reflecting the increase in the cost of living but maintaining affordability for future partners. 

The conclusions and proposals generated in these discussion groups were collected by the Governing Council to study their implementation and approval in the next General Assemblies. This is a fundamental part of our commitment to ensure that our cooperative housing model not only grows in quantity, but also in effectiveness and in accordance with our values, thus guaranteeing a solid and sustainable future for the cooperative.

Getting to know the cohabiting partners

One of the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of the study carried out by the El Risell cooperative on the nearly 200 partners in coexistence of Sostre Cívic, where his was analyzed in detail demographic, economic and social profile.

The results of the study highlight that most of the residents have between 25 and 44 years and they are mostly women (57%). 79% were born in Catalonia or Spain, and 21% were born abroad. Most have completed higher education, and work in the office and education sectors, although a significant percentage are out of work or unemployed. Regarding monthly income, the vast majority earn between €1.000 and €2.000 per month, and 9% are below €1.000.

Qualitatively, 78% of respondents report an improvement in the quality of life provided by cooperative housing, in addition to the improvement in neighborhood relations and a reduction in supply costs. In almost half of the homes at least one person is part of a social or community organization, reflecting a strong commitment to activism and mutual support. 

This study shows how the cooperative model of Sostre Cívic offers a more stable and enriching housing alternative compared to traditional housing options.

A key self-managed space for the future

After a community lunch, the afternoon sessions were self-managed by the participants themselves. They included one dynamics for the creation of new seed groups for future housing projects, and a space dedicated to partners interested incooperative housing for the elderly. In addition, international experiences were shared by the teacher and public manager Gustavo Machado, who shared expertise from cooperative housing model in Uruguay.

The 2nd Meeting of Partners of Sostre Cívic has reaffirmed the commitment of the social base to the values ​​of self-management, assemblyism, environmentalism and feminism. It has clearly defined the future direction of the cooperative towards a leap of scale, shaping itself towards the management of more than 500 housing in coexistence in the next three years. This annual meeting is already a fundamental pillar of the community being a main space for participation, anticipating theGeneral Assembly of this year This is scheduled for June 29, at the Ateneu Popular de Nou Barris, and will be the next key event to continue building our cooperative housing model as the necessary alternative to guarantee the right to a dignified life.