Cooperative housing investments – in search of new methods and tools in revitalization processes

Revitalization is a complex city-wide process aimed at considering and meeting local needs, including improving conditions in residential environments. Standards and procedures were regulated in Poland in 2015 by the Revitalization Act, which emphasizes stakeholder participation throughout the process, still requiring the development of methods and tools. The article presents solutions used in other European countries, particularly proven methods of cooperative investment management. The cooperative models implemented in Europe are also used for the creation, adaptation, and modernization of downtown buildings. Based on the experiences from the analysis of area revitalization processes in Łódź, compared with models such as CLT (Community Land Trust), the authors attempt to recommend alternative methods of operation that would enable broader stakeholder participation in ongoing investment processes. The proposed counter-proposal assumes the creation of conditions for the implementation of an investment financed jointly by the participants. It provides for cooperation between the local government and future users. The authors believe that the analyzed models, so far used mainly in residential investments, can be successfully employed in larger urban areas. Adapting the CLT model to Polish conditions, due to the need for non-profit operation, could be an alternative to the controversial public-private partnership (PPP) method.