Exploring social system barriers and enablers in Dutch collaborative housing, using Rogers’ diffusion of innovations framework

In recent years collaborative housing has developed into a housing typology for a wide range of households seeking housing solutions that are not offered by mainstream providers. Collaborative housing is very divers, but initiatives share the central similarity that people support each other in creating their living environment together and [often] share facilities together. Because collaborative housing projects are resident-led, there is a need for easy access to knowledge and research about other collaborative housing experiences. Unfortunately,
the institutes possessing this knowledge are often as fragmented and diverse as the collaborative housing initiatives themselves. The authors contend that this fragmentation hampers the diffusion of collaborative housing.
An analysis of the Dutch collaborative housing initiatives shows that this fragmentation hampers information exchange and learning processes. Using Roger’s framework of ‘Diffusion of innovations’ this paper explores how national and international knowledge networks and shared information resources could support the adoption of collaborative housing.