This report explores an important question: can cohousing be accessible for people on very low incomes, including those with experience of homelessness? It looks at whether the model, built on collaboration, shared living, and resident participation can be adapted as an affordable and inclusive form of housing – one that could potentially help prevent homelessness and social exclusion.
This updated report brings the original research into today’s context. It explores how cohousing can support people who are insecurely housed, transitioning out of homelessness, or living on very low incomes. It also examines what local authorities, housing associations, and community organisations can do to make cohousing genuinely inclusive, affordable, and sustainable, both in the UK and internationally.
The findings draw on literature reviews, field visits and interviews in the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States. The case studies are looked at in a consistent way, so it is easier to see what they have in common and where they differ. For each project, the analysis considers what it was trying to achieve, who it was designed for, how it is funded and made affordable, and what kind of tenure and land arrangements are in place. It also looks at how residents are involved, both in shaping the housing and in running it over time, and how it works within a wider community.
Findings also reflect learning from more recent examples, including winners of the World Habitat Award, run in partnership with UN Habitat. These projects were selected because they offer useful lessons. Some demonstrate genuine affordability and accessibility for people on low incomes, refugees, or those with lived experience of homelessness, others show how social landlords can viably deliver cohousing projects.
