FOR HOUSING COOPS

In Slovenia housing is becoming increasingly inaccessible, thus violating the human right to adequate housing. The housing stock is decrepit, there is a shortage of non-profit housing, 30% of the population lives in housing poverty, the rental market is unregulated, housing prices are rising faster than wages, and alternative forms of housing are underdeveloped. The number of homeless people exceeded 6,700 in 2016. The key reason for the housing crisis is underfunded housing supply. The economic crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic coupled with inaction will only make matters worse.

Rental housing cooperatives are proving to be a safe, modern and inclusive approach to providing affordable and quality housing, successfully combining public and private resources, and could therefore significantly complement the non-profit public housing offer. In Zurich, for example, rental housing cooperatives account for more than 20% of all dwellings. Through the building rights mechanism, they keep the land in public ownership and thus prevent market speculation. Because they are based on housing security and solidarity, they also cope much better with social and economic crises than other forms of housing.

So far, there are no rental housing cooperatives in Slovenia. There are, however, some initiatives that are pushing for their establishment, but they face many obstacles related to the lack of legislation and the absence of a supportive environment. Therefore there is an urgent need for intensive advocacy for rental housing cooperatives.

The aim of this project is to contribute to the development of housing cooperatives and thus to affordable, sustainable, safe and community-planned housing supply. In the project we will:

• develop a housing cooperative model for Slovenia through participatory processes. The model will be a source of knowledge necessary for the implementation of housing cooperative projects and will serve as the basis for advocacy. We will raise awareness, disseminate information and activate target groups through field work, media coverage and online activities,
• cast the NGO sector in the role of the promoter and advocate of housing cooperatives. We will arrange systematic networking coupled with training and mentoring programs,

advocate for and contribute to the adoption of legislation and measures encouraging the establishment of housing cooperatives at the national and local level.