Accession UAA-1988-076 - UAA-1988-076

The Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative (ACHC) began its existence known as Campus Co-operative Association in March of 1967. Its initiative at that time was to provide low-cost housing to students at the University of Alberta, in a time before HUB, Lister Hall, or Michener Park were completed. In September of 1967, the University’s Board of Governors, whose task it was to oversee University-owned properties, rented six houses to the fledgling organization in the North Garneau area. By the early 1970’s, the Co-op reached its membership peak of about 65 members, and purchased their first house in the Strathcona area. A second home was purchased in 1973 in Parkallen. Using a ‘capital loan’ system where members ‘loaned’ the Co-op $25 each upon taking out membership, monies were collected for initial down payments on homes. A ‘capital levy’ plan was later introduced whereby the Co-op charged a capital levy per member, on top of the monthly housing charge, as a means of raising capital for the expansion of the Co-op and for meeting maintenance costs on existing properties. In the early 1970’s, as well, the Co-op obtained a further four rented houses from the City of Edmonton. Original University-owned houses were occasionally demolished in the North Garneau neighbourhood, and the Co-op received other houses in replacement. A few other houses were rented from private landlords and by the summer of 1973, there were twelve houses in the Campus Co-operative Association. In 1977 the Campus Co-operative Association was dissolved by the Co-op Development Branch of the Alberta Department of Consumer and Corporate body Affairs for failing to submit an audit form on time. A new set of by-laws and a policy manual were developed and the Co-op was reincorporated on September 27, 1978 as the Campus Co-operative Association (1977). By 1981, the new name of Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative was chosen to reflect a shift away from a majority student membership which prevailed at its inception in 1967. Membership in the houses was open to anyone accepted by the members of a Co-op household, and subsequently approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors consisted of four executive members elected at semi-annual general meetings, and of one house representative from each house; board meetings were held monthly, and were open to the general membership to attend. Various committees were established to deal with specific matters, and members were expected to work on a committee or do some other specified work for the Cooperative. Members also shared cooking and other house chores. Membership criteria evolved over time to accept both student and non-student membership, and houses were co-ed. In 1986, the AHCC owned five houses and ceased leasing property from the University. While the records in the fonds go only to 1990, the Assiniboia Community Housing Cooperative continues to function. They are a listed entry in the University of Alberta’s Student Union Housing Registry (as of 2006), and advertise three houses available in the Cooperative.