Q&A on Energy Audits
Agency for Co-operative Housing
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Accounting for Prepaid Expenses and Capital and Intangible Assets
Agency for Co-operative Housing
Sustainability
Agency for Co-operative Housing
Caring for Your Buildings
Housing co-operatives have just one valuable asset: their property. So it makes sense to take care of it.
A well-kept housing co‑operative has prouder, happier members who love their homes. It’s a place where other people want to live. And one that will serve generations to come, far into the
Plan for the Future
Good planning is the secret behind a building that doesn’t look its age. Without a plan, your co-op can’t know how much you’ll need to save for major repairs. Until you know this, you don’t know what your housing charges should be.
Your plan begins with a recent building condition assessment that
Hire Good Help
Even a very small co-op needs a paid bookkeeper to make sure its money is properly accounted for. Beyond that, a property manager knows the annual and seasonal routines that will keep the property secure and well cared for. When the essential tasks are looked after, volunteers will have the time to
Managing Your Business
Housing co-operatives are small businesses formed to provide housing for their members. They prosper best when they are fully occupied and members pay their housing charges in full and on time.
A housing co-op is not a complex business, but it takes work to keep it going. As the steward of your
Stay in Good Shape
A residential building requires constant maintenance. Blame it on entropy.
There are caretaking tasks to be done daily or every few days, such as clearing snow, polishing the glass at the entrance, cutting the grass and cleaning the halls, elevators and laundry room.
Routine maintenance should
Reduce Waste
Our great grandparents had the right idea. Use it up. Plan before you buy.
Go for the good stuff, even if it costs a little more, and then take care of it. Don’t buy cheap disposables. Get things repaired.
Use real dishes at your co-op, not paper plates and cups, even if it means buying a
Funding Programs
The original federal co-operative housing programs differ in detail, but all have a similar purpose:
- to provide modest, affordable housing that meets the needs of low- and moderate-income Canadians
- to encourage families and individuals of different incomes and backgrounds to come together in the same
Tip of the Month
Plans in Action
The average co-op with an approved capital replacement plan tucks away more than $3,600 per unit in reserves each year--triple the 2007 amount. Does their future hold better windows? New kitchens? Savings mean more choices.