Anyone who wants to live in this Bern-based cooperative must pay up to 40,000 francs upfront

Here's what it's all about

• Future tenants in the Viererfeld project will need to contribute significantly more equity than originally planned. Membership fees and apartment shares could total around 40,000 francs.
• The cooperative attributes the higher costs to increased construction costs, which have risen to between 95 and 100 million francs, up from 82 million.
• Since the beginning of June, 35 members have already resigned from the cooperative in protest.

Summary created with

The Bern Capital Cooperative is coming under pressure because of its housing project in Viererfeld. Anyone who wants to rent an apartment there in the future will have to pay significantly more upfront than originally announced. In addition to a higher membership fee, high housing shares are also required. The “Berner Zeitung” reports on this.

According to the report, the general assembly decided in early June to raise the membership fee from 200 to 2,000 francs. In addition, there are membership shares, which the cooperative intends to use to strengthen its equity. For a 4.5-room apartment measuring about 90 square meters, these could amount to around 36,000 francs, according to the cooperative. In total, future tenants would thus have to come up with about 40,000 francs.

Neubau, aber kein Einzug

Warum 37 günstige Zürcher Wohnungen seit Monaten leer stehen

The reason for this is rising construction costs. Instead of the originally estimated 82 million francs, the cooperative now expects the cost to be between 95 and 100 million francs. It must finance about 10 percent of that amount itself.

Since the beginning of June, 35 members have resigned

The high entry costs have drawn criticism. According to the *Berner Zeitung*, former SP city council member Martin Krebs accuses the cooperative of abandoning its social goals. Instead of housing “for everyone,” he writes in his resignation letter, housing “for the few” is being created. According to the cooperative, 35 members have already resigned in protest since the beginning of June.

Co-President Lea Gerber rejects the criticism. While the apartments would initially be affordable primarily for middle-class households, they are expected to become more affordable in the long term thanks to rent-based on costs.

In addition, according to Gerber, the cooperative is exploring the possibility of establishing a solidarity fund and forming partnerships with foundations and the City of Bern to enable people with lower incomes to move in as well. However, the City of Bern notes that it has not currently commissioned the capital city cooperative to build affordable housing.