Housing needs and cooperative housing models: prospects and innovative pathways for the Trentino Region
In the context of a rapidly ageing population, increasingly fragmented family structures, and steadily rising housing costs, the issue of housing has become one of the most urgent social and economic challenges facing the Trentino region (Italy). These dynamics are captured in the recent research report “Housing needs and cooperative housing models: prospects and innovative pathways for the Trentino Region”, developed by EURICSE within the framework of its Research Programme Agreement with the Autonomous Province of Trento.
Amid this growing housing affordability crisis, cooperative housing is attracting renewed interest as a viable and socially sustainable alternative to traditional housing models. The report explores how cooperative approaches could respond to emerging needs, offering innovative and community-oriented solutions in a changing demographic and economic landscape.
The report is the result of an action-research project conducted by EURICSE between July 2024 and March 2025, in collaboration with the Competence Centre for Cooperative Management at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and in close coordination with the Office for Housing Policies of the Autonomous Province of Trento. It updates and deepens the analysis of evolving housing needs across the region.
The report pursues a dual objective: on the one hand, to analyse data and trends in order to better understand housing demand and its transformations; on the other, to explore innovative solutions inspired by local, national, and European experiences, particularly those based on the cooperative model. This model is viewed not only as a response to housing needs, but also as a tool for building more cohesive, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
The document is structured into four main chapters: an analysis of the local context, an overview of European cooperative models, a review of Italian case studies, and operational recommendations for the Trentino region. The research was enriched by two focus groups involving key stakeholders, including public authorities, businesses, financial institutions, and third-sector organisations, with the aim of gathering insights, experiences, and concrete input.
The study was carried out by a working group composed of Riccardo Bodini, Director of EURICSE and scientific coordinator of the research project; researchers Giulia Cutello and Martina Bonazza (EURICSE); Michela Giovannini, researcher; and Richard Lang, Director of the Competence Centre for Cooperative Management at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. The research project was developed by EURICSE as part of the Programme Agreement with the Autonomous Province of Trento.
