Participatory Housing: A New Conceptual Framework for Democratic Forms of Housing in the Czech Republic

Abstract

In recent years, in response to the increasing unaffordability of housing, many European countries have seen a renewed interest in forms of housing that emphasise elements of cooperation, self-organisation, and sharing (of space, organisation, or ownership between households). In the Czech Republic, we recently identified the first efforts of some municipalities and smaller groups of citizens to transpose this 'housing innovation' into the Czech context, which until now has predominantly favoured individual owner-occupied housing. Considering that these emerging forms of housing in the Czech Republic have yet to be conceptualised in theory, the goal of our article is to initiate a debate on a more precise conceptual understanding. To this end, we propose an overarching definition of participatory housing, which we present using three defining principles and five dimensions of participation. Reflecting on existing Western European conceptualisations and a historical contextualisation of (related forms of) housing in the territory of what is today the Czech Republic, we discuss the specific dimensions of the concept of participatory housing, the conditions of its existence, and what makes it distinct from other forms of housing.