Mas Coop – Intergenerational participatory housing

A cooperative housing group provides its members with affordable housing that is both clean and efficient, co-creating a living environment suitable for all generations.

A RIGHT TO HOUSING

Individuals united by shared ideals of solidarity, ecology, society, and intergenerational exchange formed a cooperative to re-imagine their housing and remove it from the speculative market. They give meaning again to the idea of a right to housing that is both clean and efficient. The buildings are bioclimatic and clean, made from materials which are sourced sustainably from local providers as much as possible.

A CO-CREATED LIVING PROJECT

The residents’ cooperative was based on creating a new relationship with property, defined as a middle ground between renting and ownership, between the private market and the public sector. The cooperative group owns the land and buildings, with residents repaying a shared loan on a monthly basis. Members of the cooperative co-create this living project by employing the one-member-one-vote principle to reach consensus on decisions that affect all members, regardless of the number of shares they own.

A LOCAL, SOCIAL HOUSING SOLUTION

The intergenerational component allows the elderly to age in dignity, in specially designed homes, surrounded by young people and children to whom they may impart their wisdom and life experience. Young couples without resources, as well as single-parent families, might benefit from social inclusion by acquiring affordable homes. These residents opt for a local solution, preferring the village school, as well as local suppliers and businesses. They arrange carpools, join organisations, and participate in community life.

Project owner
Carole Delga
President of the Regional Council of Occitanie
Project owner
Cécile Naudot
Head of Human Resources
Project owner
Jean-Michel Fabre
Departmental Councilor for the Canton of Toulouse