SOA

It was really heartening to see #CommunityLedHousing and #CommunityLandTrusts given a full 2.5hr session at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government & Heritage last week. Thank you to Rosie Lynch and Cait Barden ( @tri_siolta ) and Ó Cualann Cohousing Alliance ( @ocualann ) for so ably representing the CLH movement in Ireland, while bringing the exciting story of Trí Síolta Community Land Trust to the national stage. 👏👏 Thanks also to the Committee representatives (including @eoinobroin_td , @senatoraubreymccarthy , @joecooneytd , @seamusmcgrathtd , @roryhearne01 , @thomasgould_td , @paulmcauliffetd , @senator_mariamccormack and @richardboydbarrett ) for giving these initiatives the attention and consideration that they have earned, through many years of perseverance and determination. We hope that this event can be a watershed moment in focusing government attention on the potential #CommunityLedHousing offers to create affordable, inclusive, and resilient neighbourhoods in Ireland. And that the key enabling supports which were discussed at the session can be progressed over the coming months, including: • A legislative framework for Community Land Trusts • Early stage finance for CLH projects • A National CLH Delivery Hub for Ireland • A CLH delivery target for 2040 Such proactive support and recognition will enable community led projects to deliver permanently affordable homes and neighbourhoods which meet the holistic needs of our communities and society. SOA will be happy to contribute our expertise and energy in any way we can to advance the process of developing these crucial enabling supports. @ais.teach @cclt.ie @corkstudenthousingcoop @davie.philip @common_ground_clh_ww @dublin_student_housing_coop @emmett_scanlon @islanderarchitects @studioidir @cloughjordan_ecovillage @portaferrycohousing @workhouseunion

SOA have enjoyed collaborating with @housingagency.ie on a recent 4-part Community-Led Housing webinar series. The final webinar took place yesterday (26 March) and focused on the theme of ‘State support for Community-Led Housing’. Elke Seipp of Hamburg’s Agentur für Baugemeinschaften provided a fascinating presentation describing the support this state agency has been providing to community-led building cooperatives over the last 20+ years. As of 2019, the city of Hamburg has set a target of up to 20% building co-ops in all new residential districts. Following Elke’s talk, respondents including Hugh Brennan of @ocualann Eadaoin Ní Chléirigh of @icshahbs , and Haley Curran of @cooperativehousingie called for increased focus from the Irish government and state agencies in implementing supportive policy, financing mechanisms and pathfinder projects for Community-Led Housing. The full set of webinars are now available to view at the Housing Agency’s Youtube channel here: /playlist?list=PLJjOGbOqUE_L8OHat7r1prS_YBOjWa1A1 SOA look forward to working with the @housingagencyie and other state agencies to advance Community-Led Housing in Ireland, and we are excited to continue these conversations at the upcoming International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) in Dublin in June. Image Credit: Gröninger Hof, Hamburg by Duplex Architekten AG (This project involves the conversion of a derelict Hamburg carpark into collaborative housing and public space. It is led by Gröninger Hof eG building cooperative, and supported by the Agentur für Baugemeinschaften.) #communityledhousing #CLHwebinarseries #ISHF2025 #ReimaginingElderhood #positiveageing

SOA have recently been enjoying collaborating with @housingagencyie on a 4-part Community-Led Housing webinar series. The third webinar takes place tomorrow March 11th from 12–1pm. ‘Community-led housing for Age-Friendly Living’ explores the opportunities community-led housing provides at different life stages and features discussion with Maria Brenton - UK Cohousing Network, Senior Cohousing Ambassador and Anne Connolly - Co-founder of Cohousing Communities Ireland. Registration for this event is free and sign up for the for the series is available here (link also in bio): www.housingagency/news-events/community-led-housing-webinar-series Maria Brenton was an instigator of the inspirational New Ground O55 CoHousing project in London, and she has been a fantastic contributor to SOA’s work over the last 6 years. She recently mentored SOA’s #ReimaginingElderhood project, and New Ground CoHousing featured in the RE film which you can check out here: https://soa.ie/reimagining-elderhood/ It’s great to see this approach being explored and emulated in Ireland, and we look forward to learning more about Cohousing Communities Ireland in tomorrow’s webinar! Image Credits (Film Stills): Shane Serrano #agefriendlyliving #communityledhousing #ReimaginingElderhood #cohousingireland #positiveageing #CLHwebinarseries

This coming Tuesday (11th March) @housingagencyie and SOA will be hosting a webinar on Community Led Housing for Age-Friendly Living. In advance of this event, SOA are delighted to share that the #ReimaginingElderhood film is now available to watch in full on our website. You can also listen to a series of podcast interviews about the project which were recorded with the architects and their mentors. The #ReimaginingElderhood film was made in collaboration with @crude.ie and supported by funding from @artscouncilireland 's Project Award and the Housing Agency. It documents the work of three architects – @islanderarchitects , @studioidir , and @ailbhe_see - who engaged with their local communities in Balbriggan (Dublin), Ballyhackamore (Belfast) and Cork City to explore what community-led initiative and architecture can bring to making these neighbourhoods better places to enable and empower positive ageing. The film also visits @mcauleyplace in Naas, and New Ground CoHousing in London, two projects which demonstrate alternative approaches to housing and community for people in middle and older age. You can watch the full film and find out more about the project at our website (see link in bio) The CLH for Age-Friendly Living webinar will discuss the potential of Cohousing as a model of collaborative housing for O55s in Ireland, with talks from Maria Brenton of New Ground CoHousing and Anne Connolly of Cohousing Communities Ireland. (See link in bio for free registration) #ReimaginingElderhood #communityledhousing #agefriendlyliving #cohousingireland #positiveageing

How Can You Support Community-Led Housing? [in the run-up to Friday's election] This election week, ask your local candidates to commit support to CLH in the next Programme for Government by doing the following: ▶ FINANCE - Provide long-term, low interest loans for housing cooperatives and Community Land Trusts. ▶ LAND - Allocate affordable sites for pilot CLH projects, including through long-term leasehold. [Leasing ensures that projects remain affordable while the state retains ownership of public land. Sites can be allocated on the basis of social value criteria, or according to a framework agreement.] ▶ SUPPORT - Empower central and local government with the capacity and knowledge to support CLH projects, especially in the early stages. With commitment from the incoming government, CLH offers an approach that can empower communities throughout Ireland to take the lead in shaping their neighbourhoods and fostering social cohesion. See link in bio to read the full SOA Election Manifesto. #CommunityLedHousing #SOAElectionManifesto #CommunityLandTrusts #MakingNeighbourhoods

Why Support Community-Led Housing? [in the next Programme for Government] Community-Led Housing means communities playing a role in the provision of their own homes. CLH means housing driven by people, not by profit. More than housing, CLH means better places and communities. An increasingly important approach across Europe and the wider world, Community-Led Housing is premised on the conviction that a house is not just a building, or an asset, it is a home: a place to live. With the support of the incoming government, CLH offers a long-term vision that empowers communities throughout Ireland to take the lead in shaping their neighbourhoods and fostering social cohesion. See link in bio to read the full SOA Election Manifesto. #CommunityLedHousing #SOAElectionManifesto #CommunityLandTrusts #MakingNeighbourhoods

In advance of Friday’s General Election, SOA have published a short Manifesto asking all political parties to commit support to Community-Led Housing in the next Programme for Government. In particular, we are calling on the next Government to support Housing Cooperatives and Community Land Trusts with the following actions: ▶ FINANCE - Provide long-term, low interest loans for housing cooperatives and Community Land Trusts. ▶ LAND - Allocate affordable sites for pilot CLH projects, including through long-term leasehold. Leasing ensures that projects remain affordable while the state retains ownership of public land. Sites can be allocated on the basis of social value criteria, or according to a framework agreement. ▶ SUPPORT - Empower central and local government with the capacity and knowledge to support CLH projects, especially in the early stages. CLH means communities playing a role in the provision of their own homes. It mean housing driven by people, not by profit. More than housing, CLH means better places and communities. See link in bio to read the full SOA Election Manifesto. #CommunityLedHousing #SOAElectionManifesto #CommunityLandTrusts #MakingNeighbourhoods

We really enjoyed this conversation with architect Patrick Devlin of Pollard Thomas Edwards and the visitors to New Ground CoHousing last night. SOA were in London for a screening of the #ReimaginingElderhood film and a Q&A with Friends of New Ground. We also took the opportunity to visit the newly completed homes at @russlewisham Community Land Trust, where we were warmly welcomed by the residents and trustees who showed us around the project. Great to see this innovative mixed-tenure project coming to completion, and the pride which RUSS residents have in the place they’ve created together. RUSS (Rural Urban Synthesis Society) was inspired by the nearby 1980s self-build community of Walter’s Way, which we also visited on the way back to London city. It’s been an inspiring visit and fantastic to see the range of #communityledhousing activity in London at the moment! #reimaginingelderhood #communitylandtrust #russlewisham #communityledhousing #waltersway

Please join us for the next CCLT public event, Saturday the 25th, from 1.30pm to 4pm at Cork Unitarian Church on Princes Street. If you don't have much time you can just drop by to find out about the project, or stay longer to join a conversation about the potential futures of Cork Community Land Trust. All welcome! #clt #communitylamdtrust #corkcity

We’re honoured that Reimagining Elderhood has been chosen as an Official Selection at the @indiecorkfestival 2023!! The festival is taking place in the newly refurbished Gate Cinema in Cork City from 15-22nd December. Many thanks to IndieCork and to everyone who worked on the film, in particular @crude.ie @studioidir @islanderarchitects and @ailbhe_see 🙏👏 Thanks also to @artscouncilireland and the Housing Agency whose support has made the project possible. 🙏 #communityledhousing #ReimaginingElderhood #positiveageing #makingneighbourhoods

Great to see the Reimagining Elderhood exhibition installed for @openhousedublin 2023. We’ll be here all week at No.2 Curved Street Temple Bar, hope to see you there! We really enjoyed taking part in the first OHD Open Table of the week yesterday - a conversation about ‘Ageing And The City’ let by Rose Anne Kenny of TILDA. The discussion touched on a lot of themes explored in the Reimagining Elderhood project, with all in agreement that a city which is good for Elderhood is good for everybody. More on the RE exhibition and opening times here: /locations/reimagining-elderhood/ More on the Reimagining Elderhood project here: https://soa.ie/reimagining-elderhood/ And you can find out a little more about SOA and Community-Led Housing via our OHD journal post here: /community-led-housing-in-ireland/11277/ #reimaginingelderhood #communityledhousing #collaborativedesign #ageingandthecity #positiveageing #codesign

SOA really enjoyed spending time with @islanderarchitects and the Balbriggan community yesterday. We had some nice discussions and feedback about the Reimagining Elderhood Project, the film, and Islander’s work with residents in the Balbriggan estates. Great place to spend a sunny afternoon!