Local innovation systems around the barriers to idea-based and collaborative housing in Sweden: financing, corporate forms, tenure and inclusive processes

Sweden has a shortage of affordable housing for those with low incomes or special needs.

Idea-based and collaborative housing (IBC) creates quality and affordable housing, and contributes to equality, quality of life, health, services, community and civic engagement. However, in Sweden there are systemic challenges.

The project creates the conditions for IBC in Sweden by addressing four key areas: financing systems, where IBC face an immature financial market and inexperienced municipalities; the forms for association and tenure of IBC, where current Swedish formats are detrimental; the organisation and support of the co-creation processes necessary for IBC to function and grow; and creating, strengthening and leveraging synergies between these in local innovation systems with long-term impact on sustainable community development.

A broad group of stakeholders and actors within the IBC brings together, develops and makes available the expertise needed to address the above key areas.

The project generates benefits on three levels: 1) Concretely in the context of its own project activities in one or more municipalities; 2) Scaling up beyond the project period through active dissemination to a wider circle of stakeholders in support of socially sustainable housing provision in the near future; and 3) Contributing in the long term to an increase in national competence among community and market housing actors, and a renewal of approaches, regulations, frameworks and laws.