Coal Harbour Housing Cooperative

What you should know about Coal Harbour Housing Cooperative

Coal Harbour Housing Co-operative (est. 1998) is a self-governed, mixed-income co-housing community of 99 units located in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour neighbourhood, between the Seawall, Downtown and Stanley Park. The site serves families, seniors and people with disabilities and provides affordable cooperative housing under member management. According to the co-op, unit mix comprises 9 one-bedroom apartments, 60 two-bedroom apartments, 27 three-bedroom apartments and 3 four-bedroom townhouses, with floor areas reported between about 671 and 1,393 sq. ft. Buildings are pet-friendly with some restrictions. Typical amenities and included services described by the co-op: heat and hot water are covered by the housing charge (delivered via radiant in-floor heating or baseboards), while electricity and phone are not included. Kitchens come with a fridge and stove; shared on-site laundry facilities are provided (four washers and four dryers per building). Most units have balconies or patios and some have in-unit storage; additional member storage is available on-site. Each unit includes one secured underground parking stall and visitor parking is available. Common spaces include amenity rooms, rooftop gardens with allotment plots, a children’s play area and video camera surveillance in common areas. Member participation in co-op life is required. Governance and resident participation: the co-op is managed by an elected Board of Directors (meets twice monthly). Several standing committees support operations: Finance (monthly, prepares and reviews budgets and statements), Gardening (maintains common garden areas and rooftop plots), Maintenance & Parking (assists the maintenance coordinator on repairs, common-area projects and parking issues), and Kids/Social (organizes community events such as Halloween and Christmas parties, an annual BBQ and movie nights). The co-op emphasizes members’ responsibility for participation, share purchase and monthly housing charges. Application and eligibility (per the co-op): the waitlist is currently full and applications are not being accepted. Eligibility categories are families, seniors and people with disabilities. One-bedroom units are limited to applicants aged 55+ or those with disabilities; larger units are for families with dependent children (infant to under 19). The application process, when open, includes an application form with financial information, screening and interview by the membership committee, a share purchase ($1,700 stated) and a commitment to participate in co-op life. Addresses listed for the co-op are Building A: 1515 West Hastings St., Suite 101, and Building B: 588 Cardero St., Vancouver, BC.