Community-led housing
These schemes are set up and run by a local, independent, not-for-profit organisation. The organisation will ensure homes for rent, sale or shared ownership remain affordable for local people.
It is aimed specifically at local residents who may be single parents, unemployed, ex-service personnel, key workers, young people looking to get on the housing ladder, older people wanting to downsize and groups wanting to renew empty homes.
There are many different types of community-led housing including:
- on land owned by a Community Land Trust
- a housing co-operative or a co-housing scheme
- in partnership with a Housing Association, private land owner or developer
The Community-led homes organisation can provide guidance and information on the process. They also have details of funding available.
To discuss community-led housing with us email [email protected].
Types of community-led housing
There is no one model for community-led housing. Most community projects have differing characteristics and many projects will share and borrow elements of the various community-led housing models.
Community Land Trusts
Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are set up and run by people to develop and manage homes as well as other assets. They act as long-term stewards of land and housing. In this model they may delegate the development work or management to a project partner such as a housing association. or the CLT may become a registered provider itself. For more information visit the National CLT Network.
Cohousing
These are groups of self-contained dwellings with the benefit of shared additional facilities all managed by a group. The facility may be a large kitchen where group meals are shared or a hall where meetings and classes may be hosted. It can be a communal garden facility. For more information visit the UK Cohousing network.
Co-operatives
The housing is built (or renovated) and managed by members of a group with democratic collective control to influence the scheme. The tenure would be shared ownership or affordable rent. For more information visit The Confederation of Co-operative Housing.
Community Custom and Self-build
This is where an individual or an association of individuals build or complete houses to be occupied as homes by those individuals. For more information visit the National Custom and Self-build Association.