Strategies for Cooperative Housing
This strategy seeks to enable efficient and equitable energy renovation solutions for housing cooperatives in the 14th arrondissement by combining insulation upgrades, tariffed on-bill financing, and tiered payment systems. The approach supports collaborative decision-making through structured cost-sharing with the city and reduced financial exposure for individual owners.
Hiteshree Das, Karthik Girish, Melissa Berlin,
and Michaela Gwiazda
How might we support cooperative homeowners in multigenerational neighborhoods to pursue energy renovations despite rising regulatory and financial pressures?
Context: Thermal strainers (EFG-rated units) face rapidly declining property values and upcoming rental bans, placing economic pressure on owners and disrupting the broader housing market in Paris. Without renovation, nearly half of homes in the Paris region risk being excluded from the rental market. In response, many Parisians are opting to sell low-rated properties to avoid renovation costs.
In the 14th arrondissement—specifically in the Plaisance neighborhood—residents show different priorities than the rental bans or resale value that concern much of Paris. The area is home to predominantly middle-income families, many of whom have owned their residences for generations. Data reveals a pattern of long-term occupancy, low housing turnover, and increasing numbers of vacant dwellings or second homes. As of 2021, the majority of households were families, and most residences were primary homes. These residents overwhelmingly prefer to remain in place—provided housing remains affordable.
This strategy centers those needs by aligning financing, risk-sharing, and renovation support with the lived priorities of long-term residents.