What is a Housing Co-op? A Montana Perspective
Author: Rachael Brug, Staff Reporter
What is a Housing Co-op? A Montana Perspective
Rachael Brug
Staff Reporter
In Montana, cooperatives are a time-tested way for communities to solve local challenges—whether it’s powering rural homes, marketing crops, or, increasingly, providing affordable and stable housing. But what exactly is a housing co-op, and why might it make sense for a place like Townsend?
At its core, a housing cooperative is a business owned and democratically controlled by the people who use its services—its members. Unlike a traditional landlord-tenant relationship, a housing co-op is owned collectively by its residents or investors, who each hold a share in the co-op. Each member typically has one vote, regardless of how much they invest, ensuring that decisions are made democratically.
Housing co-ops can take several forms. In a resident-owned co-op, members live in the housing and take part in decisions about maintenance, improvements, and community rules. In an investment or community co-op, local residents, businesses, or organizations pool funds to buy, build, or rehabilitate housing, sometimes renting to others or selling units affordably. Montana’s flexible cooperative laws allow for both models—and even creative hybrids.
Montana has a long tradition of cooperative enterprise, from electric and telephone co-ops to credit unions and agricultural marketing groups. According to the Montana Cooperative Development Center, over 200 co-ops operate in the state, serving nearly every sector of the economy. Housing co-ops are newer but growing, offering a way to keep homes locally owned, affordable, and responsive to community needs.
The real strength of a co-op is its local focus. Profits and decision-making stay in the community, and members work together to address shared challenges—whether it’s the need for senior housing, workforce rentals, or revitalizing older homes. In the words of the cooperative movement: “Owned by the people, for the people, serving the people.”
For more information on successful co-ops in Montana, visit the Montana Cooperative Development Center website at https://mcdc.coop/
