What is a Housing Co-op? A co-operative is a group of people working together for a common purpose. In the case of a housing co-op the group of people are the members who live there, working together to provide affordable housing.
What makes a housing co-op different are the people who live there, and how they share responsibility and control of their homes. People who live in a co-op aren't just residents or tenants, they are members, and that is important. As members, people in a housing co-op live and work side by side with one common goal - to make their co-op a healthy, happy place to be.
How Does a Housing Co-operative Work? We at Appleridge Co-operative Homes are independent, self-directing, and a legal corporation. The people living in our units form the membership of our corporation. Each member has one vote in the affairs of the co-op. Every year the members select, from amongst themselves, a Board of Directors to manage the affairs of the co-op. We also have a Coordinator who handles the day to day business of the co-op.
The mandate of Appleridge is to provide affordable housing in a comfortable environment for its members. To be housed at Appleridge Co-op you must first be accepted as a member. The member selection process is not complicated and can be found by clicking here.
What Kind of Volunteering Will I Have to Do? The demands are not great and Appleridge does not have specific hours laid out for member participation; however, there are certain requirements to which a member must agree to be accepted for membership. - Pay your housing charges on time - Keep your unit and the grounds in good condition - Attend membership meetings - Help take care of the common areas around each unit - Be a good neighbour - Become involved in your co-op, come out to social activities, volunteer to become part of a committee
