MADISON, Wis. — The current housing market is making it challenging for many people to find an affordable place to live, especially in Wisconsin’s capital city. 

What You Need To Know

  • There are over two dozen co-op houses in Madison

  • The Madison Community Cooperative manages 11 houses in Madison

  • In a co-op house, residents have their own rooms, but share bathrooms and common spaces

  • Rent is often low, and residents contribute to utilites and a grocery fund

As more people move to Madison, the city’s low housing supply is a growing concern.

That’s why the Madison Community Cooperative is advocating for more housing co-ops, especially for people who are low income, underrepresented or marginalized.

The Audre Lorde House is one of over two dozen housing co-ops in the city of Madison. Two more are being built. Eleven are managed by the Madison Community Cooperative.

Aurora Schaafsma moved into the Audre Lorde House in Aug. 2023. She is disabled and had a hard time finding somewhere to live.

“My dad was, and still is, assisting me with rent because of my disabilities,” Schaafsma said. “We just could not afford a single apartment.”

Schaafsma lives with 17 other people in the home. They share the bathrooms and common spaces, but each gets their own bedroom. They have weekly meetings, share chores, split utility bills and chip in the same amount each month for groceries.

“It’s nice to be able to just go in the common space in the evening and know that there’s probably going to be people who I can talk with or just hang out with,” Schaafsma said. “I’m a social person if I’m around people I know and am comfortable with. I get down when I am alone for three days on end.”

The home is in a prime location, very close to Lake Mendota and UW-Madison. Rent in that area is typically thousands of dollars, but at Audre Lorde, it’s under $500.

Every decision about the home is made by the people who live in it, including who gets to move in. Applying to live at the Audra Lorde House includes an online interview and attending a house dinner.

“It is now a consensus vote where any one person is allowed to object,” Schaafsma said. “If they object, and it’s not something that can be worked through, then the person’s membership would not get accepted.”

John Parsons with the Madison Community Cooperative said it offers the chance to live in a good, safe area for a low price.

“It’s affordable housing,” said John Parsons. “You can live in some of the most beautiful buildings in Madison. People have made lifelong friends. People have met their partners there. Some people live there for years. Some people live in a co-op for 10 years.”

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