From Buildings at Risk of Eviction to Housing Cooperatives
A study on expanding the public housing stock through the creation of use-transfer cooperatives in existing buildings that are at risk of eviction of their tenant communities.
The analysis is based on the Casa Orsola project: a building at risk of eviction by a vulture fund that was ultimately acquired by the Barcelona City Council in collaboration with a social organization and with public financial support. The report examines how such initiatives can form the basis of a robust housing policy and strengthen residential stability in tight housing markets.
The study identifies a series of legal, financial, political, and organizational challenges to achieving this. Finally, it delves into four measures: expanding public and public-cooperative purchasing instruments; reforming subsidies to facilitate the collective purchase of housing; consolidating the role of public operators in the purchase of existing housing; and building an alliance between the government, labor unions, and cooperatives.
- Date: 2026
- Authors: Laia Forné, Carme Arcarazo, Marta Ill Raga
- Supported by: Fundació La Dinamo
- Keywords: cooperative, rental market, high-demand area, housing insecurity