On October 24, 2025 – United Nations Day, the annual commemoration of the UN’s founding and its commitment to peace and cooperation, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) presented a groundbreaking report at the Peace Palace in The Hague: The Law on Cooperative Housing: Comparative Analysis of Legislation and Policy across Twenty Countries.
This report marks the first publication of the International Legal Research and Analysis Initiative (ILRAI), coordinated by Cooperative Housing International and co-funded by the European Union.
A Global First
This pioneering study compares cooperative housing legislation in 20 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. Its findings are clear: cooperative housing models thrive where laws recognize, protect, and support them.
The report identifies four keys to success:
- Clear and robust legal frameworks that define cooperative identity and governance.
- Access to financing tailored to cooperative models, including long-term, low-cost loans.
- Tax incentives that create a level playing field with other housing models.
- Integration into national housing strategies to ensure policy coherence and scale.
European context and German inspiration
While Germany was not among the 20 countries analyzed in detail, the report highlights Berlin and Munich—alongside Zürich (Switzerland) and Vienna (Austria)—as leading examples of large-scale, professional housing cooperatives. These cities demonstrate how strong legal recognition, long-term financing, and public land policies can create stable, affordable housing ecosystems.
German cooperatives, like their Swiss and Austrian equivalents, have built extensive housing portfolios over decades, offering some of the lowest rents in urban areas. Their success underscores the importance of institutional support, governance safeguards, and public-private collaboration, lessons that emerging cooperative housing movements can adopt worldwide.
Why this matters today
Globally, housing affordability is under pressure. The ILRAI report emphasizes that cooperative housing is not a niche solution but a scalable, resilient model that can address affordability, sustainability, and community cohesion. With urban populations growing and housing costs soaring, the cooperative approach offers a viable alternative to speculative markets.
Link to Flemish insights
These global recommendations align closely with the Flemish learning trajectory “Pioneering with Housing Cooperatives” (in Dutch), which highlighted three critical factors for successful implementation:
- Land availability as a cornerstone for affordability.
- A healthy financing mix combining member equity, public support, and ethical lending.
- Expertise and guidance to navigate legal, financial, and governance challenges.
Belgium: room for growth
Belgium currently lacks a dedicated cooperative housing law, presenting a significant opportunity for improvement. Our Cera-colleague Lieve Jacobs contributed valuable input for the Belgian section of this international study, bringing Cera’s expertise to the global stage. Her work reinforces the need for a clear legal framework, fiscal neutrality, and supportive policies to unlock the potential of cooperative housing in Belgium.
What’s next?
The ILRAI report is more than an academic exercise—it’s a call to action. ICA and CHI urge policymakers, housing federations, and financial institutions to embed cooperative housing in national housing strategies, develop tailored financing instruments and tax incentives and promote legal clarity and governance standards that protect cooperative identity.
As the world faces a housing affordability crisis, cooperative housing stands out as a model that combines economic viability with social solidarity. The question is no longer whether it works—it’s how fast we can scale it.
