Housing organization aims to create cooperative community in downtown Winston-Salem

A Winston-Salem housing rights group is launching an initiative in hopes of creating what they say could be the first cooperative community of its kind in the city.

The Spring Street Co-op was started by Housing Justice Now to purchase and transform a downtown building into affordable homes. The organization is looking to turn the five-unit property at 207 N Spring St. into what's called a cooperative housing community.

Housing Justice Now Organizer Dan Rose says the plan calls for the building to be permanently affordable while allowing residents to own and share responsibility for it.

"It's only five units, but it could create a proof of concept that this type of housing in these types of communities, with this type of, you know, economic activity generated from it can transform people's lives," he says.

Rose says the units would be for those making 30% to 50% of area median income.

The plan depends on the city forgiving a lien of nearly $157,000 on the property. A committee recently forwarded that decision to the city council's meeting on Sept. 3.