Co-operative Housing for Seniors
- Housing
- by Esther Goldstein, B.Sc., B.S.W., RSW
- connect@seniorcareaccess.com
Also known as ‘co-op housing’, it is a kind of non-profit housing in which the residents or ‘members’ are actively and equally involved in making decisions and running the community they live in. Co-op settings come in many shapes and sizes and can range from apartment-style dwellings to townhouse structures. The members do not usually hold any ownership in the property (it’s usually owned by a co-operative corporation with an elected board of directors) but do pay monthly rent that may be income-based and possibly less than market rates depending on their situation and the rules of the co-operative. This option would be geared to the independent person as opposed to someone with care needs. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has created an information guide on Co-operative Housing that can be found at www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/maintaining-and-managing/co-operative-housing-guide. To locate co-operatives for seniors or where there may be a large percentage of seniors, you may wish to do an internet search for ‘senior co-op housing’ in your city or region. Additionally, you can contact the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada at 1 (800) 465-2752 or chfcanada.coop and/or for those in Ontario, visit the website for The Ontario Co-operative Association at www.ontario.coop.
Excerpted with permission from The Comprehensive Guide to Retirement Living - 23rd Edition.
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If you are looking for assistance locating a home or resources for your loved one, you can reach out to our consulting team at consulting@seniorcareaccess.com or visit our consulting page for more information. Our Discover 3 program offers decision-makers and seniors an opportunity to have a professional consultant identify three housing solutions based on their needs.
For additional questions, feel free to contact us at connect@seniorcareaccess.com.
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