This document discusses the potential for increased cooperation in housing in Wales. It notes challenges facing the current housing system like rent reductions, welfare reform, and interest rate rises. It outlines steps that have been taken to promote cooperative housing models, including programs in Wales, England, and alliance building between stakeholders. The document suggests cooperative housing could help address market failures and meet growing demand for housing alternatives. It emphasizes the need to actively engage stakeholders, build new links in challenging alliances, and flexibility to adapt cooperative housing schemes to changing needs and popular desire for change.

1. Nic Bliss - CCH
#CoopHousing15

2. Co-operation in housing – the new era
 Welsh co-operators
 Welsh local authorities
 Welsh associations
 Welsh Government
 Wales Co-op Centre

3. Co-operation in housing – the new era
 doom and gloom!
 1% rent reductions
 welfare reform
 Right to Buy
 market failure
 Generation Rent
 interest rates to rise
 argh!

4. Steps along a road
• Bringing Democracy Home 2009
• Mutual Housing Group 2011
• Welsh co-operative housing
• English community led, self-help, and
self/custom build housing programmes
• growing numbers who want an alternative to
the dysfunctional housing market
• a need for an alliance
• a stronger and more coherent message
• support structures to scale up the sector

5. BSHF/Nationwide project
• stakeholder analysis
• knowledge exchange
• shared lobbying messages – RTB exemption
• strategic visioning
• spreading the word

6. Jon’s views!
• an opportunity to be grasped
• it will require active
engagement from the main
stakeholders plus new links
• alliance building will be
challenging
• CCH can play a pivotal role

7. Nic’s views!
• are we the antedote?
• to dysfunctionalism; market
failure; the second housing
crash & paternalism
• schemes; schemes; schemes
• flexibility and adapting
• people; people; people
• building on a wave of
popular desire for change

8. Rhidian Jones – the Welsh Government
#CoopHousing15