Guide to Co-operative Housing

Further Information

Marketing

Central Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation (COCHF) (2002) — Marketing Your Co-op: Tools for getting and keeping members

Canada — This publication is designed to assist co-ops in understanding some basic marketing principles, developing a marketing plan, and how to market the co-op effectively. A section of this publication provides tools and resources such as worksheets, checklists, organizational charts and other materials to assist co-ops to market themselves effectively.

Co-op Finances

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1998) — Managing Arrears

Canada — This book is a valuable resource for housing co-ops to help control arrears. It is written in plain language. This book defines arrears, suggests strategies to control arrears, and discusses related by-laws. Its appendix includes an arrears worksheets, performance agreements for arrears and late payments and a checklist to be used with the sample arrears by-laws.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1989) — Financial Management

Canada + Ontario — This book was created as a text for a course on Financial Management. It is a useful reference book that a co-op's finance committees and board can use. Topics include "Organizing Financial Management", "Controlling Finances", "Planning Finances", "Reporting Finances", "Legal Requirements", and "Educating Members about Finances". It includes sample balance sheets, budgetary income statements, summary arrears reports and cash flow projections.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1989) — Preparing a Budget

Canada — This book is a plain language guide that was designed for a workshop on Budget Preparation. It is useful for finance committees and boards on how and when to prepare the co-op's budget and to make revisions to the budget. The book also addresses ways to involve the membership in preparing the budget. The appendix includes a sample budget package and a list for capital replacements.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (2003) — Your Co-op and the GST

This book provides an overview of GST and housing co-ops. It deals with tax rules that apply to co-ops in each province and territory. The book is written in plain language. The appendix of resources includes forms that are useful for housing co-ops and bookkeepers.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1990) — Understanding your Co-op's Audit

Canada — This book is a manual for understanding the co-op's financial audit. It explains the importance of understanding why the co-op's audit is necessary and then explains how to read the audit and how the actual accounting system works. It is a useful plain language guide that is particularly relevant to the housing co-op's staff and board.

Co-op Management and Governance

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) (2003) — Crisis Situations in Cooperatives: Better Interventions Hinge on a Better Understanding

Canada — This research highlight summarizes the key findings of a research project that examined the origin of crisis in co-ops, the conditions that led to the crisis, and solutions that can be adopted to help prevent the development of crisis situations.

Co-operative Housing Federation of British Columbia (CHFBC) (1995) — An Introduction to Co-op Housing Management

Canada — This manual was written for employees and managers of non-profit housing co-ops. It is an introduction to co-op housing management and discusses highlights key aspects of sound co-op management, different ways to offer management services, and ways to improve the working relationship with a co-op.

Co-operative Housing Association of Ontario (CHAO) (1993) — Good Management in your Co-op

Canada — This book is written in plain language to assist a co-op's board of directors to develop a new co-op or hire staff for an existing co-op. The book describes how to manage a co-op using paid staff, and addresses the need for good management in co-ops, working effectively with employees or an operational services company, and helps a co-op develop reasonable standards of performance by staff.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (2002) — Board of Directors

Canada — This booklet provides an introduction to co-op housing and the roles and responsibilities of its board of directors. It is written in plain language and refers to the legislation of each province and territory.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1990) — Effective Elections

This book is designed to help co-ops plan, organize and carry out effective elections efficiently. It provides a procedural guide for holding a successful election. It is written in plain language. The appendix covers job descriptions, as well as examples of how a co-op board should conduct itself.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (2002) — A New View of Participation

Canada — This book examines ways to encourage participation, democracy and a sense of community in co-op housing. Written in plain language, it offers ideas and suggestions to encourage participation. This manual also includes the experience of three different communities in Newfoundland, Toronto and Calgary.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (2000) — Conflict of Interest

Canada + Ontario — This plain language booklet discusses what conflict of interest is, provides examples of conflict of interest, and suggests ways to reduce the risk of this situation. In addition, this resource offers a model by-law that all co-ops across Canada can adapt and use.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1990) — Better Meetings

Canada — This book provides information that can assist co-ops to have effective members' meetings, board meetings and committee meetings. It draws on the experiences of many co-ops in organizing meetings. The first part of the book focuses on planning an effective members' meeting while the second part focuses on planning a good board or committee meeting. This book is written in plain language.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (2000) — Evaluating Staff

Canada — This guide can help housing co-ops and their staff to create and use effective staff evaluations and encourages healthy staff relations in housing co-ops. It is written in plain language and also covers issues of bias.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1989) — On-Call Committee

Canada — This book is a guide for on-call committees. The first few chapters deal with forming an on-call committee The last two chapters cover emergency situations and provides useful resources that can adopted by a housing co-op. It is written in plain language.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1993) — New Members in Your Co-op

Canada — This book is a guide to the membership process in housing co-ops. Written in plain language, this book covers the broad range of topics related to new members in co-op housing. Sections on how people become members, processing applications, waiting lists, and welcoming the new member prove useful for both management and members considering living in co-op housing.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (2001) — Plain Language and Clear Design: A Co-op Writer's Guide

This book is designed to help those who write for housing co-ops write in a way and style that best communicates the point and information to co-op members.

Seniors and Co-op Housing

Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) (2001) — Alzheimer's and other Forms of Dementia: The Challenge for Housing Co-ops

Canada — This booklet is a plain language guide that addresses the challenges that co-ops may face in dealing with Alzheimer's and other forms of mental illness. It is designed to provide assistance to co-ops with large senior populations that seek to manage these issues. It provides basic information on specific mental illnesses and its symptoms as well as insight on sensitive issues such as when and how to ask a member to leave without violating human rights legislation.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) (2001) — Seniors Housing Co-ops: Making them work, keeping them strong

Canada — This book discusses ways to maintain seniors' co-ops by providing useful strategies for co-ops to deal with an aging population. The first part of this publication highlights some of the challenges that seniors' co-ops may face, however, the majority of this book provides solutions that seniors' co-ops have already adopted or intend to adopt. This book is written in plain language.

Rahder, Barbara Loevinger (1990) — A Comparison of Co-operatives and Private Non-Profit Housing Options for Older Canadians

Ontario — This study compares three senior's housing co-ops and three seniors' private non-profit accommodations located in Toronto. It assesses how well the needs of seniors are met by examining the physical design and location of the buildings as well as their access to needed services. In addition, this report examines social life within the two different accommodations.

Legal Topics

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (2001) — A Review of Evictions in Ontario

Ontario — This publication reviews co-op housing evictions in Ontario since the Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act was amended. It explains relevant sections of the act that deals with eviction and can be used by a co-op that is deciding to evict a member and by a member that is facing eviction. It is written in plain language. It simplifies Ontario's Co-operative Corporations Act which is very thorough and complex.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1993) — Going to Court

Ontario — This book provides a step-by-step guide for co-ops to follow in a court action. It is written in plain language, but may not now be up to date.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1996) — Your Co-op and the Law

Ontario — It is written in plain language so that co-ops in Ontario can understand their legal and corporate obligations. Examples of relevant laws include The Co-operative Corporations Act and The Employment Standards Act.

Miscellaneous

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) (1990) — Research Report: Consultation

Paper on the Federal Co-operative Housing Program

Canada — This consultation paper poses specific questions to interested parties concerning co-op housing and the reasons for federal government involvement and how the government plays a role in co-ops. Topics include "the role of cooperative within the framework of national policy directions", "Federal Assistance to Non-Core-Need Co-opertive Members" and "Program Delivery and Administration".

Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) (1997) — Creating Healthy Communities

Canada — This book offers and explores practical ideas about community life in housing co-ops. The book addresses how members can work together to form strong communities. This book suggests activities that members can plan and initiate to increase community development in housing co-ops. This book is written in plain language.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1997) — Diversity Action Kit

This is designed as a tool to help co-ops develop respect and tolerance in order to build a more inclusive co-op movement. This book ends with a glossary and tips on how to encourage dialogue. The text is plain language.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1993) — Energy for Your Co-op

This book arises out of discussion among co-ops that used electrical heat in 1992 / 1993 that were concerned about the rising cost of energy. It gives a basic understanding of different energy systems and can help a co-op decide which energy alternative is best to use. It suggests that co-ops use an energy conservation program. The language may be somewhat technical in some areas, although generally it is easy to follow.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1995) — Property Inspections

This is a guide for carrying out annual inspections of the co-op's property. It provides methods that can be used for both moving-out and moving-in inspections. It also provides resources of sample scheduling of inspections, lists of responsibilities, and notice of inspection letters to moving-in members.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1997) — Taking Action on Co-op Diversity

This publication is a collection of articles on diversity issues written for co-op housing members. They deal with the issues of racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination in co-ops and how to create a positive environment to combat discrimination. This booklet is written in plain language.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) (1997) — Words, Words, Words: The Co-op Housing Dictionary

Canada — This dictionary defines words and terms used by co-ops. It can be used in all provinces and territories.

Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) (1994) — Your Co-op – Make it Green

Canada — This book is a comprehensive and useful guide that provides strategies and information on how to make housing co-ops environmentally-friendly. The book highlights some of the activities that some co-ops have been involved in and provides resources that are available to communities that seek to protect the environment.