Lessons for municipalities to steer the sustainable development of alternative housing : A case study of two co-housing projects in Helsingborg and Hamburg

Sammanfattning: Decades of globalisation and urbanisation are posing intersecting social, economic, and environmental pressures on urban housing markets, that are pushing conventional housing provision to its limits. Accelerated by the covid-19 pandemic, alternative approaches to housing are coming to the fore. Co-housing, a concept combining private individual living spaces, with shared spaces and facilities is (re)-emerging as one alternative, vaunted to have a positive impact on residents' well-being, and promotes sustainable living and housing affordability. To exploit the sustainable potential of co-housing, remaining planning challenges need to be identified and dismantled. In this regard, this study aims to explore the potential and challenges of alternative forms of housing for sustainable housing provision and to analyse the role of municipalities in steering and supporting the development of co-housing. Methodologically, this aim is approached by a systematic literature review and a case study comparing two co-housing projects in Sweden and Germany, using Rose’s (1991) lesson-drawing concept. The findings revealed that neoliberal planning frameworks geared towards conventional housing provision that restrict the development of housing alternatives. Overcoming these constraints is highly dependent on municipal support institutions for co-housing development. In both co-housing projects, the integration of professional developers has provided valuable advantages in breaking down financial barriers and social inequalities, which were identified as the main challenges. However, to promote the sustainable development of co-housing and to break down the conventional political structures for this purpose, municipalities must recognise the potential of co-housing holistically and support and steer it through transparent policies and instruments.