Housing associations use a variety of strategies to increase the availability of low and moderate income housing. They make homes available to people who ordinarily could not obtain them through conventional channels.
Cooperatives are communities where members own their own homes but share resources and support.
Cooperatives may be formed or supported by a housing association. While generic cooperatives that include people with disabilities are a recent phenomenon in the United States, Canadian cooperatives have more experience in this area. Generic cooperatives are one means of developing supported community living alternatives for people with disabilities. Human service organizations in the United States are just beginning to recognize the potential for integration through collaboration with housing organizations and cooperatives. Though there may be many, this section lists the few organizations which we know to have experience in including people with disabilities.