wohnbund e.V. is an association founded in 1983 during a congress of the Deutscher Werkbund in Darmstadt. It is currently headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The organization originally emerged to serve as a national platform for those seeking alternatives to the dominant housing and urban renewal policies of the era, which were marked by demolition-heavy redevelopment in German cities. Instead, wohnbund promoted more careful and context-sensitive approaches to urban regeneration.
wohnbund’s structure is a network of professionals and practitioners, with around 180 to 200 members. This membership includes a variety of advisory offices and consultants specializing in community-based and self-managed housing models, who operate across Germany. The association presents itself as a forum for alternative urban and housing policy discussions, particularly emphasizing social responsibility and qualitative dimensions in housing, in contrast to the traditionally profit-driven housing industry approaches.
Recently, wohnbund held a major event celebrating its 40th anniversary, which centered on the organizational challenges facing collectives in the housing sector, such as streamlining administrative processes and securing property rights without diminishing autonomy. Discussions at the event highlighted issues such as rising land and construction prices, cooperative structures for umbrella organizations, and strategies for new affordable housing foundations.
wohnbund’s activities include organizing conferences and workshops, publishing thematic reports, and providing a platform for collaboration among researchers, consultants, and practitioners from Germany and neighboring countries. The group regularly examines policies on land, property, and housing in a critical manner, seeking to give voice to communal and intermediary advisory structures within long-standing political and sector frameworks.