Inclusive cohousing: A Response to Homelessness in the Spanish Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.5845Keywords:
Cohousing, Homlessness, Housing inclusion, Sustainable housing solutionsAbstract
Cohousing, a housing model with a long-standing tradition in Northern Europe, has seen limited implementation in Spain, particularly in the field of homelessness services. This article examines a pioneering experience of inclusive cohousing aimed at individuals with stable yet insufficient income to access the housing market, within the broader context of the current housing crisis. Employing a mixed-methods approach —combining in-depth interviews, participant observation, and analysis of the Homeless People Survey (INE, 2023a)— the study assesses the viability and scope of this alternative. The findings estimate that over 9,000 individuals in Spain could benefit from this model, highlighting its potential to foster autonomy, reduce institutionalization, and address the limitations of the staircase paradigm. The study concludes that inclusive cohousing constitutes a sustainable and replicable housing alternative that responds to structural factors perpetuating homelessness —such as residential precarity, insufficient public housing, and long-term institutionalization.
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