A housing cooperative is a property owned by a business or housing association in which the residents gain equity by buying shares. It’s a distinctive form of home ownership which is gaining popularity across Catalonia in the face of the housing crisis. This week on Filling the Sink we take a closer look at the pros and cons of cooperative housing.

Catalan News reporter Coralie Moreau explains the origins of cooperative housing, the different models and the process by which inhabitants can enter a cooperative and acquire a flat. We talk to members of the cooperatives La Borda, La Morada and La Voliana to discover the philosophies behind the different collectives. Host Beth Cohen explores the economic aspect and reveals how cooperatives are able to offer more affordable housing by operating as non-profit organizations and carrying out repairs and maintenance internally. Housing policies specialist Ángela Garcia Bernardos, professor of Social Work at the University of Barcelona, outlines the difficulties of integrating cooperative housing projects into current urban planning.

This week’s Catalan phrase is “Si vols estar ben servit, fes-te tu mateix el llit”, the equivalent to the English phrase “If you want something done properly, do it yourself.” This is a motto which the members of Catalonia’s cooperative housing projects have taken to heart, as they work together for a better collective future.