Co-Op Housing University of Maryland

Mission: See community description.

From www.ic.org/directory/co-op-housing-university-of-maryland/:

We are a low-income, inclusive housing cooperative. We began when a group of people from the university community came together to talk about te lack of affordable housing in College Park. Demand for student housing drives up rent in neighborhoods surrounding UMD, and a large transient population fractures the sense of community in these neighborhoods. While the university was busy building more dorms and developers were constructing luxury high-rise apartments along Route 1, CHUM was imagining what an autonomous alternative would look like. We wanted to avoid renting from the university, corporations that own large apartment complexes, or single-family property owners who often charge high rents for a small supply of poorly-maintained properties. Instead, we want to independently own and manage our own properties. These co-ops allow for affordable higher-density living and the maintenance of a community despite transient populations. This enables university affiliates and other residents to be able to coexist peacefully, share in greater responsibilities and freedoms like setting our own rent, establishing a sustainable culture, and interacting with our neighbors in a positive way. We welcome those interested in the concept of cooperative living and ownership to find ways to make a true co-op in College Park a reality.

A service of the Data Commons Co-op. The project has been supported by Equal Exchange, the Cooperative Charitable Trust, the USDA, and many others - thank you! Tech volunteers over the years include: Benjamin Bradley with support from GAIA Host. Ben Mauer with support from Quilted. Paul Fitzpatrick. Ronin Tech Collective, Brattleboro Tech Collective, Sligo Computer Services. Jason Lemieux. Default map tiles courtesy of MapQuest. Default map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA.