The goal of this research is to understand the cooperative housing model and contribute to discussions regarding the potential implementation of a cooperative housing initiative in Greece. The motivation for the paper stems from the recognized housing crisis, both internationally and nationally, which disproportionately affects vulnerable social groups such as young people, students, and the elderly.

Initially, the research focuses on the study of the housing system in Greece, as it has historically developed with an emphasis on homeownership. It then identifies the rapid changes in the housing landscape that have emerged as a result of the 2010 economic crisis and the extensive financialization of housing—a phenomenon in which housing is treated as a vehicle for speculation, no longer recognized as a basic right to dignified living.

The central concern of the research revolves around the ways in which conditions for the production and management of non-profit housing can be established in Greece as an alternative form of housing beyond the constraints of the market. On the one hand, a targeted study of the cooperative housing system is undertaken, as a model for the production of non-profit housing based on collective ownership, ensuring affordable and quality housing. On the other hand, the research draws knowledge from successful international examples while considering the specificities of housing policies in Greece and the needs of civil society.

Finally, the paper documents actions, visions, goals, and challenges faced by active collectives in Greece that seek the institutionalization and production of cooperative housing. Based on field research, the paper ultimately aims to identify the challenges as well as the prospects for the adoption of the cooperative housing model.