Madison Community Cooperative (MCC), founded in 1968, is a thriving housing cooperative consisting of about 200 members who collectively own and manage 11 cooperative houses. Our houses are located on Madison’s isthmus and range in size from 8 to 30 members.
Each of our houses features individual bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and a large communal kitchen. Members at all of our houses are part of house level dining co-ops. Most of these dining co-ops are also open to members of the Madison community who are not members of MCC.
Our members are young and old, workers and students, parents and non-parents, and represent a diversity of ethnicities, national backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. The central mission of MCC is to improve the Madison community by providing low-cost, nonprofit cooperative housing for very low- to moderate-income people, and to be inclusive of underrepresented and marginalized groups.
MCC is run by our members at our monthly Board of Directors meetings; monthly-weekly Maintenance, Finance, and Membership Committee meetings; tri-annual General Membership meetings; and weekly house meetings. Each of our houses has its own unique culture and history and is entrusted with a high level of autonomy. Each of our houses is responsible for its house policies, membership process, work/job system, annual budget development, minor maintenance program, dining co-op, house meeting system, and designation of Board and committee representatives.
Affordable urban co-op housing
Each house memberships slightly differently. Most follow some combination of in-person shared dinners, surveys and interviews for prospective members.
Please contact each house individually (preferably in person). Some co-ops allow only guests (visitors with a sponsor within the house). There is also a hostel in Madison, if you would like to stay somewhere else while exploring membership in the co-ops.
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.
Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).
House representatives to the board of directors and committees, officers elected at large
Most decisions are made using a form of consensus; General Membership decisions may be by some percentage of majority.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Regular fees: Yes
Labor: Yes (5 hrs/week)
Each house sets its own labor policies; generally individuals contribute 20-25 hours/month
$25-50
Must be able to pay the security deposit and monthly room & food charges
Common House, Garden(s), Library, Workshop, Large Scale Kitchen, Stage or Auditorium, Swingsets & play areas, Waterfront access, Internet
Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.
Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
kitchens, dining, and social areas.
Cooperative housing primarily for students, often with shared chores,
meals, and democratic decision-making.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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