EHC

The European Housing Coop (EHC) is an organisation headquartered in Berlin, Germany, with a focus on establishing and managing cooperative housing across Europe. It is structured as a European Cooperative Society (SCE), which allows it to operate transnationally within the EU. The EHC’s business model is based on the collective ownership of shares by members—individuals and also public bodies, cities, or other organisations—which serve as working capital. Each share has a fixed price, and members can leave the cooperative and receive their contributions back, subject to the cooperative’s rules. The cooperative is designed to provide both temporary and long-term sustainable housing, with an emphasis on communal spaces in exchange for smaller private units. This approach is environmentally conscious, aiming for a reduced ecological footprint. The EHC plans to fund its operations through share capital, annual membership fees, and fees for managing an investment fund that finances acquisitions and refurbishments of properties. EHC’s activities include initiating new housing projects and offering its members access to these developments across various European cities. Collaboration with local cooperatives is an integral part of its work. As of now, EHC is in its foundational phase; it is not yet a large-scale owner or operator of properties but aspires to grow and address housing needs beyond Berlin by facilitating cross-border projects. Its structure and strategy reflect current trends in Berlin’s cooperative housing movement, supporting affordability, sustainability, and community connection.