Executive Summary

Ownership builds women's wealth, stability, and power. Owning our own homes and business spaces protects us from eviction, shields us from substandard housing conditions, grounds our children's lives and frees us from the vulnerability of renting. As a community, we can overcome the barriers to ownership faced by women, especially women of color who have faced historical legacies of exclusion, redlining, and high costs of down payments and taxes. At Forterra, we are working to help women move from the uncertainty of renting to the more stable footing of cooperative ownership. When women have the opportunity to own shares in a co-op, they can become property owners, often for a lower cost than renting, while building equity and wealth. Through two pilot projects in BIPOC communities, Forterra is developing an open-source Co-op Toolbox that can lower the barriers to entry and enable women nationwide to become cooperative homeowners.

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