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Summer 2012

  • Profiles of a Movement: Co-operative Housing Around the World – publication launch;
  • Symposium on good governance;
  • European Co-op Week – CECODHAS Housing Europe;
  • Visits to Kapelleveld, Floréal and Le Logis, Brussels;
  • CECODHAS seminar;
  • ICA Housing continues to support the effort of TURKKENT;
  • CHF Canada AGM;
  • Next meeting: Manchester!

Profiles of a Movement: Co-operative Housing Around the World – Publication Launch

It was with pride that the Presidents of CECODHAS Housing Europe and ICA Housing launched the joint publication ‘Profiles of a Movement: Co-operative Housing Around the World’ at the CECODHAS Seminar in Brussels on April 26. The publication, one of our IYC 2012 projects, includes the co-operative housing profiles of 22 countries. It was made possible due to the excellent collaboration received from our member organizations all over the world. The Profiles are also available in French.
As explained in the introduction of the publication, although co-operative housing is widespread and has an impact on the quality of life of millions of people, our housing sector is still relatively little-known. This joint report represents a first attempt to present the history and the current realities of co-operative housing around the world and to achieve our key task of communicating more effectively the work of our members.

The publication is free in PDF format or digital. We invite you to share the publication as widely as possible. If you wish to purchase printed copies, please contact info@chi.coop. The cost of the publication is £16.00 + mailing.

Symposium on Good Governance – Stimulating Exchange

Progress has been made on our IYC 2012 Good Governance project. During Co-operatives Week in Brussels at the end of April, the Chair of the Good Governance Project Committee, Nicholas Gazzard from CHF Canada, presented to ICA members the first draft of a Good Governance Charter for Housing Co-operatives at a half-day symposium. The Charter sets out the governance principles which all housing co-operatives need to comply with in order to ensure that their co-operative is open, transparent, accountable, and governed with effective democratic participation by all members.

Our ICA Housing Symposium also welcomed representatives of the Confederation of Co-operative Housing in the UK (CCH) Mr Blase Lambert and Mr Nic Bliss, respectively treasurer and chair of CCH who presented their newly adopted Code of Governance for Housing Co-operatives 2012. Their presentation broadened our views on this most important aspect of good governance in co-operative housing. We are grateful for the time they took and their insights that most certainly will improve our final version of the Charter. The IYC 2012 Good Governance Charter will be launched in Manchester in October 2012.

Certified Timber and Other Forest Products Promotional Campaign – Our Next Focus

In the coming weeks, our attention will turn to the implementation of our FSC commitment to promoting the implementation by members of the resolution adopted at the last ICA General Assembly calling them to use only certified timber and other forestry products. Watch for more information to come soon!

European Co-op Week – CECODHAS Housing Europe

A Successful Joint Meeting

ICA Housing Board of Directors, in collaboration with Co-op Housing – Europe, the co-operative housing section of CECODHAS, the European Liaison Committee for Social Housing, invited members to a series of activities in Brussels during the Cooperative Week in April to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives 2012. The program included both time to share and celebrate our accomplishments as well as to look ahead to the future.

Dealing with ICA Housing Business

The ICA Housing Board of Directors held its first 2012 face-to-face meeting. Apart from the regular administrative matters, the Board reviewed the progress made on the 2012 work plan, more specifically in relation to our IYC 2012 program as described above. Here is some specific information worth mentioning:

  • The Board reviewed the proposed Memorandum of Understanding and Co-operation to be signed with Co-op Housing – Europe, the cooperative section of CECODHAS, the European Liaison Committee for Social Housing. Prompted by the need to ensure the democratic rights of its European members from non-EU countries, (those members not being eligible for full membership in CECODHAS) ICA Housing proposed to Co-op Housing – Europe the signing of a Memorandum to create ICA Housing Europe. Together the members of Co-op Housing – Europe and ICA Housing European members whether from an EU or non-EU country will form ICA Housing Europe. The Memorandum describes the principles and practice of how this partnership will operate and co-ordinate its activities.
  • The Memorandum was presented to, and approved at, the Co-op Housing –Europe meeting at the end of June. Members of ICA Housing will be asked to approve the partnership at the next Plenary meeting to be held in conjunction with the extraordinary assembly of ICA in Manchester at the end of October
  • The Board reviewed the financial situation of ICA Housing and was pleased to note a better performance for 2011 than expected. With an increase of our sectoral income from ICA, and exceptional contributions from three members, TURKKENT, CHF Canada and CDS Co-operatives, ICA Housing ended the year with a small deficit. The increase in revenue allowed us to fulfil our commitments while keeping a safe financial margin. The Board, however, acknowledged the need for additional contributions from members in 2012 to cover the costs of redesigning our website, a measure made necessary by the changes made to the ICA global website. Members will be asked in the coming weeks for a voluntary financial contribution.
  • Finally, the president of ICA Housing, David Rodgers, informed the Board of the upcoming revision to our strategic plan. 2012 represents the 4th and last year of our current plan. The drafting of our new 4-year plan will be done in conjunction with ICA. This item will be on the agenda at the Manchester meetings.

Inspiring Visits to Kapelleveld, Floréal and Le Logis, Brussels

Our international delegation was welcomed by three beautiful housing co-operatives: Kappelleveld, Floréal and Le Logis, all built at the beginning of the 1920s and with design and layouts influenced by the garden-city movement. The assistance of the co-operative housing federation of Brussels, FESOCOLAB, made this visit possible.

The participants were delighted by everything they saw: the properties, the landscape and surroundings, the history and certainly the warmth of the co-operators that welcomed us. Click here for a description of the co-operatives. Many thanks to FESOCOLAB for their assistance and collaboration and a warm thank you to the co-operatives for their hospitality and courtesy.

Informative Presentations at CECODHAS Seminar

Members of ICA Housing and Coop Housing – Europe gathered together to attend the Seminar Cooperative housing – a key model for sustainable housing in Europe organised by CECODHAS Housing Europe. Several presentations were made from representatives of different countries showing the successes and the great accomplishments of housing co-operatives. Click here to see the presentations: Or here to watch the video of ICA Housing members discussing the benefits of co-operative housing in the current financial crisis.

 ICA Housing Continues to Support the Efforts of TURKKENT

Invited by TURKKENT, Mr David Rodgers delivered a speech at their Spring Seminar held on 13 April 2012 in Antalya, Turkey. Click here for Mr Rodgers’ presentation whose title says it all: The importance of Co-operative Enterprise as a vibrant and resilient part of the global economy and the vital contribution it can make to the economy and wellbeing of the citizens of Turkey.

800 Participants Celebrated the International Year of Co-operatives, in Niagara, Canada

The Annual General Meeting of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) is always a successful and well-attended event. This year was no exception. On the occasion of the International Year several special guests from co-op housing organizations of the United States, Ireland, Kenya and Zimbabwe attended the meeting. Mr David Rodgers, president of ICA Housing and Mr Niall O’Keefe, executive director of NABCO, the National Association of Building Co-operatives of Ireland, delivered two inspiring speeches according to the report-backs from the conference.

A French Video Launched by the Confédération québécoise des oopératives d’habitation – ‘Les coopératives d’habitation, un monde à découvrir’

Watch the testimonies of co-op housing members from Québec showing the invaluable socio-economical impact housing co-operatives have on their life.

The Confédération québécoise des coopératives d’habitation – CQCH – launched the video at their Congress in the middle of May as part of their IYC 2012 celebrations. Click the link above or go to webtv.coop.

Does your Organisation have a Facebook Page?

If you do, let us know so we can instantly share your news on the ICA Housing page. Are you on Facebook? Click here and ‘like’ our page to keep up with co-op housing news around the world!!!

Mark your Calendar for the next ICA Housing Rendez-vous – Manchester!

We had previously announced that the 2012 fall meeting would be held in South Africa as part of our IYC 2012 program. After the announcement, we heard that the 2013 General Assembly of ICA will be held in Cape Town, South Africa. Consequently, the Board decided to follow the ICA schedule to allow for greater member participation. So our commitment to organize a co-operative development conference in South Africa has been rescheduled for next year.

Instead, we are inviting all members to reserve their time to come to Manchester! ICA Housing is planning meetings in conjunction with the ICA Extraordinary Assembly, ICA Expo and the Co-operatives United celebrations for the close of the IYC 2012 at the end of October. An inspiring global festival of events and exhibitions, there will be 1 world premiere, 3 exhibitions, 10 conferences, 45 countries, 150 workshops, 200 exhibitors and 10,000 people. Co-operatives United will inform and inspire everyone building an ethical economy and a better world.

Download this issue here

 

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