In a ‘Collective Private Commissioning’ it is not the project developer or a broker who is in control, but the initiators do it all themselves. The advantage is that you are involved in every step of the building process. Moreover, it provides significant cost savings.
The province of Drenthe advises new initiatives with the first steps and provides a subsidy amount of 10,000 euros per CPO for external advice and guidance. Anne van der Wiel guides start-up groups on behalf of the province and notices a significant increase in the number of these new housing associations. In the past two years, she has seen the addition of about forty CPOs.
“What we see a lot in Drenthe is that CPOs are being created to be able to build homes in our own villages,” says Van der Wiel. “Many initiatives arise from village interests or village associations who see that there is a demand for homes from villagers, seniors or starters.” People would like to continue living there, but there is no suitable offer.
Those who unite in such a commission often benefit from expert advice and guidance. “Ultimately it is about your own money. If you have to make decisions in consultation with others, it is difficult to do so objectively. In addition to substantive guidance, it is therefore also useful to have an independent confidential adviser who can help you with those difficult choices In addition, the consultation with the municipality takes place in official language, which is not always understandable or logical. Then such a supervisor can act as a kind of interpreter in between, “explains Van der Wiel.
Not many of the forty parties have yet made use of the subsidy. “That’s because many of them are still starting up, forming the groups,” explains Van der Wiel. “Three projects are now using the subsidy.”