Most community-led housing developments:
- are smaller scale – most are under 25 homes and some are much smaller
- are normally set up and run by local people in their communities, often with external support from housing associations, local authorities or other organisations
- provide affordable homes for rent, shared ownership or sale, on sites that are often difficult for mainstream housing providers to develop
- meet long-term local housing needs by keeping a legal or financial interest in the homes, and making sure they are always available to local people who need them
- are not-for-profit, and involve a lot of voluntary effort
- can involve new build, regeneration, or the use of existing buildings
Community land trusts
These provide affordable homes for local people in need by gaining land and holding it as a community asset.
Housing cooperatives
Groups of people who provide and collectively manage affordable homes for themselves; as tenants or shared owners.
Co-housing schemes
People who come together to provide self-contained, private homes for themselves; but manage their scheme together and share activities, often in a communal space.
Tenant management organisations
These provide social housing tenants with collective responsibility for managing and maintaining their homes, through an agreement with a council or housing association.
Self-help housing projects
Small, community-based organisations bringing empty properties back into use, often without mainstream funding, with construction training and support being very important.
Community self-build
Local people building homes for themselves, through external support and managing the process collectively.