Transitioning in Place: Designing a Co-operative Development for Homeless Families in Ottawa

Housing unaffordability within Canadian cities has pushed an increasing number of families into precarious housing situations while concurrently increasing barriers for the homeless to access housing. The critical supply of affordable rental housing is being eroded by the commodification of housing. This thesis synthesizes non-profit cooperative housing and transitional housing to create a new affordable rental housing model called “transitioning in place”, specifically for homeless families in Ottawa. This flexible model of architecture ensures housing stability for its residents through a shared-ownership governance structure and affordable at-cost rents, creating opportunities for long-lasting relationships that form a thriving community over time.

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