Housing associations are typically owned and governed by organizations rather than individual private owners. Most are established as nonprofit organizations or cooperatives, and they maintain ownership of the housing assets rather than transferring full ownership to residents[1][3].
There are several models of housing association ownership:
- Cooperatives: In a housing cooperative, the legal entity that owns the property is controlled by shareholders (the residents purchasing shares in the cooperative). In some cases, a nonprofit organization owns the cooperative and oversees its operations. The cooperative is usually managed democratically by an elected board representing the shareholders[1][3].
- Nonprofit Housing Associations (including Mutual Housing Associations): These are traditionally owned by a nonprofit organization. Residents typically rent their homes, and the nonprofit’s board—often with a majority of resident members—oversees operations and governance. Residents do not own their individual units, but may participate in management and decision-making[3].
- Community Land Trusts: In this model, a nonprofit organization owns the land and sometimes the buildings. Homes may be individually owned or rented, but the land itself remains under trust ownership to ensure long-term affordability. Typically, governance is shared among residents, community members, and other stakeholders on the trust board[3].
The governance of these organizations is generally outlined in their constitution, articles of association, or bylaws. These rules detail how the board or governing body is constituted and operated—often requiring transparency, conflict of interest declarations, and ensuring that residents (members or shareholders) have representation in decision-making[2].
In summary, housing associations are not individually owned; they are controlled by organizations (usually nonprofit or cooperative bodies) with structures in place to allow for resident or community participation in governance and decision-making[1][2][3].
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