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A survey was carried out that yielded 79 responses. The aim of the study was to identify specific wants, needs, behaviors and pain-points, while also quantifying their importance relative to one another. Depth interviews were then conducted to understand more deeply about specific topics of interest found in the survey.

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People wanted a home that was affordable, high quality, located near friends and family & in a safe community.

But this is a challenge in irelands housing system. People struggle to save for a mortgage and afford to rent a home that meets their needs, face eviction notices and poorly maintained residences. An argument could be made that these problems are down to the dualistic nature of the irish housing system, where social housing is limited in supply and restricted in access. This leaves the majority of the public left with no alternative to the private property market and in turn, creates a lack of competition which could result in supply shortages, increased property prices, and cyclical boom-bust cycles. Countries with efficient housing systems follow a unitary model. Here, social housing is readily available to the majority of the population. The existence of an affordable alternative creates competition with the private market, resulting in reduced prices.

Housing cooperatives offer an affordable, resident-centred alternative, create cohesive communities and deliver more stable leasing agreements. 

Cooperative housing is a not-for-profit housing model where residents manage and control a property development. Residents own shares in a cooperative rather than the property outright. Cooperative homes cannot be sold onto the private market while still allowing the residents to have stability of ownership. But Cooperatives are uncommon in Ireland. As evidenced by primary research there appeared to be limited public awareness and knowledge about housing cooperatives. It is also challenging to connect with the right people and work as a team to complete the steps to create a cooperative.

The solution aimed to break down barriers of cooperative creation through an online platform that allows users to connect with others with similar wants & needs and guided them along the process of cooperative creation.

Based on location preference, budget and more. educate groups through the steps to set up a cooperative provide a space to discover existing opportunities from cooperatives and local authorities. The prototype was comprised of a discover page where users can find existing cooperative opportunities, a process that connects people to form groups, and a group page where members can collaborate to complete the steps needed to create a cooperative. Addressing these barriers was hoped to increase the accessibility and availability of housing cooperatives, thus providing a competitive alternative to the private property market.