hoco:housing_commons

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hoco:housing_commons [2025/12/05 10:15] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1hoco:housing_commons [2025/12/17 04:30] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 ### The financial model ### The financial model
  
-It might be good to read the ‘[use-credit obligatio](/ucos/Use-credit_obligations)[ns (UCOs)](/ucos/Use-credit_obligations)’ introduction, after which the housing commons idea should be much clearer, as UCOs are the basis for the proposed financial model.+It might be good to read the ‘[use-credit obligations (UCOs)](/ucos/Use-credit_obligations)’ introduction, after which the housing commons idea should be much clearer, as UCOs are the basis for the proposed financial model.
  
 Rent-credit obligations (RCOs) are UCOs for housing – ‘rent vouchers’, if you like – issued by the local housing commons group for use as rent in one of their properties. A house is purchased by a local housing commons group with cash, provided by investors, who in return are given 25 years’ worth of discounted RCOs for the property. Rent-credit obligations (RCOs) are UCOs for housing – ‘rent vouchers’, if you like – issued by the local housing commons group for use as rent in one of their properties. A house is purchased by a local housing commons group with cash, provided by investors, who in return are given 25 years’ worth of discounted RCOs for the property.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Where the rent goes on rented housing: most goes to the mortgage company.+_Where the rent goes on rented housing: most goes to the mortgage company._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-The housing commons can prevent second home owners from destroying communities in coastal towns or other holiday destinations.+_The housing commons can prevent second home owners from destroying communities in coastal towns or other holiday destinations._
  
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-We love housing co-ops, but they have to incur debt to obtain properties, which makes it difficult for them to grow, and to prevent wealth being extracted from their communities.+_We love housing co-ops, but they have to incur debt to obtain properties, which makes it difficult for them to grow, and to prevent wealth being extracted from their communities._
  
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-Simplified value flow diagram for a local housing commons, showing the movement of RCOs (rent vouchers), cash etc. between the housing commons group (CHS = commons housing society), investors, tenants and stewards. (ROI = return on investment).+_Simplified value flow diagram for a local housing commons, showing the movement of RCOs (rent vouchers), cash etc. between the housing commons group (CHS = commons housing society), investors, tenants and stewards. (ROI = return on investment)._
  
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-The local housing commons group will employ local tradespeople to maintain its properties.+_The local housing commons group will employ local tradespeople to maintain its properties._
  
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-Young people looking for somewhere to live might be better off investing the money they’ve saved for a deposit for a house purchase into the housing commons instead.+_Young people looking for somewhere to live might be better off investing the money they’ve saved for a deposit for a house purchase into the housing commons instead._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
- 
 ### Environment ### Environment
  
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 - Assets (housing and cash) are transferred into the commons, to help build a commons economy. There’s been a lot of talk about building the commons, but it hasn’t taken off in a way that can challenge capitalism. This model could change that, because it’s not based on debt and it doesn’t require altruism. - Assets (housing and cash) are transferred into the commons, to help build a commons economy. There’s been a lot of talk about building the commons, but it hasn’t taken off in a way that can challenge capitalism. This model could change that, because it’s not based on debt and it doesn’t require altruism.
  
-- Commons housing will never be sold again. [Building societies](/buil/building_societies) were demutualised and ‘carpet-bagged’ – members voted to remove the legal asset lock that prevented them from being sold, in order to receive a one-off payment. This can happen with co-ops too. As it grows, the housing commons will be holding a lot of very valuable assets, with no debt, so will be an obvious target for predatory capitalists, with clever lawyers trying to get round the asset locks. But this model, with the Housing Commons Society acting as custodian, is designed to prevent this.+- Commons housing will never be sold again. [[bsoc:Building societies]] were demutualised and ‘carpet-bagged’ – members voted to remove the legal asset lock that prevented them from being sold, in order to receive a one-off payment. This can happen with co-ops too. As it grows, the housing commons will be holding a lot of very valuable assets, with no debt, so will be an obvious target for predatory capitalists, with clever lawyers trying to get round the asset locks. But this model, with the Housing Commons Society acting as custodian, is designed to prevent this.
  
 - The state won’t be able to close down the housing commons as it did housing co-ops – by withdrawing funding – because the housing commons won’t rely on state funding. - The state won’t be able to close down the housing commons as it did housing co-ops – by withdrawing funding – because the housing commons won’t rely on state funding.
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-Members can decide for themselves what kind of housing they want. They might decide that all houses will be super-insulated, or have solar panels, or a front porch – excellent for building community, as tenants can sit and chat to people walking past.+_Members can decide for themselves what kind of housing they want. They might decide that all houses will be super-insulated, or have solar panels, or a front porch – excellent for building community, as tenants can sit and chat to people walking past._
  
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-With a housing commons in your town, it would be much easier to set up related commons, such as energy, water and transport.+_With a housing commons in your town, it would be much easier to set up related commons, such as energy, water and transport._
  
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-Specialist banks, building societies or other financial institutions could provide national, regulated, ethical, mutual investment funds, which will invest in commons groups everywhere. Something like this is sadly lacking at the moment, and these kinds of funds could be very popular with people wanting to invest ethically in their community.+_Specialist banks, building societies or other financial institutions could provide national, regulated, ethical, mutual investment funds, which will invest in commons groups everywhere. Something like this is sadly lacking at the moment, and these kinds of funds could be very popular with people wanting to invest ethically in their community._
  
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 ## Further resources ## Further resources
 +
 +- [Why a house is a terrible investment](https://jlcollinsnh.com/2023/03/02/why-your-house-is-a-terrible-investment/)
 +- [Housing commons in Stroud](https://stroudcommons.org/housing-commons/)
 +- [Hastings Commons](https://hastingscommons.com/) - commoning housing in Hastings
 +- [International Journal of the Commons](https://thecommonsjournal.org/articles/10.5334/ijc.1490) - housing commons? a scoping review
 +- [Resilience](https://www.resilience.org/stories/2024-08-23/solving-the-housing-crisis-via-the-commons/) - solving the housing crisis via the commons
 +- [Housing as commons: Sites of struggle and possibility](https://journals.openedition.org/cidades/9342)
  
  
  
-## Specialist(s)+## Specialist curators of this topic
  
  
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