ROTTERDAM, 12 June 2026 – Rotterdammers interested in creating or joining a housing cooperative can register through a new online platform from 18 June. The first municipal plot will become available in Waterwijk, Nesselande, with space for around 30 mid-market rental homes and shared facilities.
Image: Aerial view of Landhuis, the first available plot for cooperative housing, in Waterwijk in Nesselande.
The platform gives groups a place to prepare for future plot selections, find potential members and learn how cooperative housing works. Registration for the first plot, named Landhuis, is expected to open through a tender in October.
So, what's a housing cooperative? A housing cooperative (wooncoöperatie) allows residents to organise their own housing collectively. Members decide how they want to live together and which spaces they want to share, such as a garden, workshop, living room or neighbourhood room. This is different from buying an apartment through an owners’ association or renting from a commercial landlord. The cooperative association owns and manages the building, while residents collectively take responsibility for its use and maintenance.
Digital registry opens in June
The new digital registry (digitale kaartenbak) will be available through Crowdbuilding from Thursday 18 June. Groups can use it to show their interest in cooperative housing and prepare themselves for the selection process when suitable Rotterdam plots become available.
The platform also connects existing cooperatives with people looking to join a group. Prospective residents can find collective projects seeking new members, while initiators can register for courses, workshops and meetings about forming and running a cooperative.
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Information about cooperative housing in Rotterdam will be collected at Crowdbuilding. The municipality says groups will still need to meet specific conditions before they can compete for a plot.
Councillor Chantal Zeegers, responsible for Climate, Construction and Housing, says the model can create homes that remain affordable while encouraging stronger contact between neighbours. “Rotterdam encourages affordable and sustainable housing created by and for residents themselves. This is how we build strong communities, close-knit neighbourhoods and homes that remain affordable in the long term.”
First plot planned in Nesselande
The first plot is located in Waterwijk, part of Nesselande in eastern Rotterdam. Known as Landhuis, it offers space for approximately 30 mid-market rental homes, alongside communal areas determined by the cooperative that eventually develops the site.
Groups will be able to register for the plot through a tender from October. The image released by the municipality places Landhuis beside the Jacob Levendakade, close to the future Waterwijkpark and the surrounding waterways.
Because housing cooperatives do not operate for profit, the homes are intended to remain affordable over a longer period. The building stays in the ownership of the association and is not later sold as a commercial investment.
That structure also gives residents more influence over how the building is managed. Decisions about maintenance, shared areas and community life sit with the cooperative instead of an external property owner.
More cooperative sites under study
Rotterdam’s 2024 Housing Vision includes plans to support more collective forms of housing. The municipality says it wants to make space available to several housing cooperatives over the coming years.
Possible locations are being explored in Schiehaven Noord, Merwe-Vierhavens, Overschie and the future Rotterdams Tij neighbourhood in Rotterdam-Zuid. These plans remain at different stages, but the digital registry gives interested groups a way to prepare before new plots are offered.
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Carolien Hoogland of the Rotterdam Coalition for Cooperative Housing (Rotterdamse Coalitie voor Coöperatief wonen, RoCoCo) is encouraging people seeking long-term affordable housing to register. “Come to a meet-up. Look for a group or start one yourself! This is open to everyone: young and old, singles and couples, with and without children.”
RoCoCo brings together residents, designers and programme makers interested in cooperative housing. The municipality works with the network on developing knowledge, connecting groups and organising events.
Cooperative housing day at Keilepand
The digital registry will officially launch during the Rotterdam Day for Housing Cooperatives on Thursday 18 June. The free afternoon includes information, networking and opportunities for groups and potential residents to meet.
Doors open at 12:30, with the programme running from 13:00 to 17:00. A networking reception follows. Registration is available through Rotterdam Architecture Month.
How to get there
The Rotterdam Day for Housing Cooperatives takes place at Keilepand in the Merwe-Vierhavens area. The venue is near the Keileweg and Vierhavensstraat, west of the city centre, and can be reached by bike or public transport via the Marconiplein area.
