ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the role of different international models of cooperative housing for social sustainability in the urban context. It introduces the key theoretical concepts underpinning the analysis – social sustainability, social capital and collaborative housing. The chapter discusses the empirical findings of case studies for individual models of collaborative housing and explores the role of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital. It provides a cross-case analysis and focuses on the implications of the study findings for theory, policy, and practice of housing and social sustainability in the urban context. The traditional model of the community-based housing cooperative can only partially be considered a good practice housing model that contributes to social sustainability in contemporary urban development. Collaborative housing in Austria postulates an alternative to the pronounced top-down approach of mainstream social housing which limits resident influence in planning and housing management.
