What is a Gnossi? Cooperative flats explained

“Gnossi” (also “Gnossi-Wohnung”) is the colloquial Zürich term for a flat owned by a housing cooperative. It means a rental flat whose owner is a cooperative, which in turn belongs to its members.

The basic principles

Cost rent: The cooperative only charges what maintenance, administration, financing and reserves cost, with no profit margin. Over the long term, rents are well below comparable market rents.
Membership: Anyone who rents a Gnossi usually becomes a member and buys share certificates. Members have a vote at the general assembly.
Security: Cooperatives hardly ever give notice for financial reasons, and flats are not sold off speculatively.
Rules: Occupancy rules (people per room), sometimes income limits (subsidised flats), getting involved in the housing estate.

Gnossi, foundation, city-owned flat: the difference

Besides cooperatives, non-profit foundations (e.g. the PWG foundation in Zürich) and the city also let flats at cost rent. For your search they work in a similar way, but membership is usually not required. On Genossenschaftsatlas we only show flats from verified non-profit housing providers, never from commercial landlords.