Why Collective Building and Living?
The housing pressure is high. At the same time, the need for housing forms with more community, affordability, sustainability, and space to decide for oneself is growing. More and more Gelderlanders are therefore starting their own housing initiatives. These groups determine their own process for purchase or rent, construction, and living.
Municipalities play an important role. How do you as a municipality make collective building and living possible? How do you ensure that it is feasible, pleasant, and quick for everyone? And does your municipality want to get started with collective building and living? Then follow the course Collective Housing Initiatives organized by the Province of Gelderland together with the expert team of housing construction from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RvO). Currently, we are working with the Third Construction Stream on a workbook Collective Building and Living for Municipalities. The experts from the Netherlands who are writing this national workbook are also creating the content of the course.
In the course, we will guide you step by step through the different chapters of the workbook. With tips from experts, inspiration from practice, learning from each other, and practical tools. The course consists of 5 sessions of 2.5 hours. After completing it, you will know how to formulate policies regarding collective building and living, select a good location, and find the right group. It also provides confidence in setting up a sales process and guiding the group from awarding to realization, and much more. Join in and become an ambassador for collective living in your municipality!
About the Mini-Course
- What: Mini-course for municipalities on collective building and living. 5 sessions from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
- Who: 15 participants, 1 participant per municipality. The course is interesting for municipal officials in areas such as housing, spatial planning, land issues, and project development
- Why: After completing the course, you will be an ambassador for collective housing initiatives in your municipality. You will have all the basic knowledge needed and can involve and guide necessary internal experts (think of lawyers). And you will immediately have a good network of experts and colleagues in Gelderland municipalities that you can fall back on later.
- Where: House of the Province in Arnhem. Except for the final meeting at the location of a collective housing initiative.
When?
- Session 1: Friday morning, October 3, 2025 - About why and the added value of collectives
- Session 2: Friday morning, November 7, 2025 - About housing policy
- Session 3: Friday morning, December 12, 2025 - About selection and sale
- Session 4: Friday morning, January 16, 2026 - About collectives (evaluation framework, statutes, process guidance, etc.)
- Session 5: Friday morning, February 13, 2026 - Fun closing at an inspiring location
Costs?
This course is free for Gelderland municipalities. We expect active participation from the participants by contributing their own issues and cases (examples). It is mandatory to attend all 5 sessions. In addition to substantive information and tips, this course is also about mutual exchange and network formation. Do you want to bring a colleague to a session? This can be arranged in consultation, depending on the theme.
Action Plan Housing and Stimulating Collective Housing Initiatives
Many people are looking for a home, even in Gelderland. As the Province of Gelderland, we want to help these home seekers. We give space to housing associations, housing groups, housing cooperatives, and other forms of collective living. We stimulate collective building and living with the Action Plan for Housing and Collective Housing Initiatives (gelderland.nl) to learn from each other and inspire each other.