# Sostre Cívic **Sostre Cívic** is a pioneering cooperative housing entity in Catalonia, established in 2004 with a mission to promote an alternative and sustainable model of housing known as cooperative housing on a use basis (habitatge cooperatiu en cessió d'ús). This model offers a long-term housing right, with collective ownership held by the entity, and allows its members to live indefinitely in cooperative houses. This approach challenges the predominant private property model by offering an economically accessible and non-speculative access to housing. Sostre Cívic operates as a cooperative that encompasses various housing projects under its umbrella. Each project is managed independently, with separate economic management and financing, ensuring that risks are not shared among the different projects. This structure, regulated by the cooperative's general statutes and the Law of Cooperatives of Catalonia, aims to facilitate the creation of new projects, protect long-term housing models from speculation, and foster a support network among projects. It enables mobility among members across different projects, sharing resources and knowledge to reduce costs and streamline management across the phases of housing development. The cooperative's involvement in Barcelona is highlighted by its project "La Balma" in the Poblenou neighborhood, which started as the first project on municipal land awarded in the [[Ajuntament de Barcelona]] (City Council) competition of 2016. La Balma exemplifies the cooperative's commitment to creating diverse, intergenerational living spaces that promote community living and social inclusion. The project features 20 housing units with shared spaces designed for community interaction, and it emphasizes environmental sustainability through architectural design focused on reducing the ecological footprint. Sostre Cívic's projects span various locations and concepts, demonstrating its broad impact on promoting cooperative housing in Catalonia. From urban projects in Barcelona's Roquetes neighborhood and Terrassa to rural initiatives in La Garrotxa and initiatives for youth housing in Calonge, the cooperative is actively addressing the diverse housing needs of its members while promoting social, economic, and environmental sustainability. For more detailed information and to explore the breadth of Sostre Cívic's projects and its impact on cooperative housing in Catalonia, visit their official website at [sostrecivic.coop](http://sostrecivic.coop/). ## References [https://sostrecivic.coop/qui-som/](https://sostrecivic.coop/qui-som/) [https://sostrecivic.coop/en/projectes/la-balma/](https://sostrecivic.coop/en/projectes/la-balma/) [https://sostrecivic.coop/projectes/](https://sostrecivic.coop/projectes/)