the cap times<\/a> on dec. 20th, 2022. some wording has been edited for non-local audiences. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nmadison, wisconsin\u2019s housing cooperatives appeal to residents for their sense of community and affordable rent. but they also serve as an example of how housing can become more sustainable, according to damontae january, membership coordinator of madison community cooperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
mcc operates 11 cooperatives that currently house a total of 142 members, according to january. the group provides logistical assistance and a financial safety net for expenses such as maintenance and renovation. members vote on policies for their individual buildings and participate in mcc-wide decisions. depending on which mcc house a member lives in, rent and utilities combined cost between $360 and $710 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
in a housing co-op, members live in separate rooms in the same building, sharing utilities and common spaces such as kitchens. according to claire oleksiak, the executive director of madison environmental nonprofit sustain dane, more dense housing like apartments and cooperatives are generally more energy-efficient than single-family homes, producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions per person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
recent gas and electricity use data wasn\u2019t available for three of mcc\u2019s buildings. out of the eight others, madison gas & electric data show that all use less natural gas and most use less electricity per person than the madison average for all forms of housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n