Lyon Collective on the Verge of Creating Radical Housing Solution – Needs Your Help!
Lyon, France – September 26, 2024 – In a powerful example of grassroots activism, the Bazaarrière collective in Lyon is making a final push to secure a building for a self-managed housing and activity space, offering a vital alternative to the city’s increasingly unaffordable housing market. This is breaking news for those interested in alternative living and community-led initiatives, and a story that highlights the growing need for innovative solutions to the housing crisis. The collective is hosting a support event this Saturday, September 27th, and is actively fundraising to bridge the final gap in funding.
A Haven Against Urban Oppression: What is Bazaarrière?
For three years, Bazaarrière has been quietly building a vision: a lasting, collectively-run space in Lyon that combines affordable housing with a vibrant hub for community activities. The project, facilitated by the CLIP federation (distinct from the better-known CLIP of the Guillotière district), aims to reclaim space from the speculative real estate market and create a haven against what the collective describes as “capital, hierarchical and concrete oppression.”
This isn’t just about providing roofs over heads. Bazaarrière envisions a space with approximately a dozen rooms, including a dormitory, and large common areas dedicated to workshops, meetings, projections, a canteen, and even urban gardening. Crucially, the collective aims to build an “extended group of users” – a network of support to address shared challenges like health, work, and food security, fostering a spirit of mutual aid and even urban resistance.
How Does it Work? A Unique Funding Model
The collective has already signed a sales compromise for a large house with a garden in Lyon’s 8th arrondissement. What sets this project apart is its funding model. The purchase is largely financed through loans from individuals, a strategy that promises to deliver ten very affordable rooms once the loans are repaid – a significant benefit in a city grappling with soaring rents. However, they’re not quite there yet.
Urgent Call to Action: Support the Bazaarrière Collective This Saturday
This Saturday, September 27th, from 4 PM onwards at Le Clamours (23 rue d’Aguesseau, 69007 Lyon), Bazaarrière is hosting a support event. The afternoon will feature a free, vegetable-based snack (with wooden games and readings for children), followed by a screening of short films exploring housing issues. A vegan canteen (free, with a suggested vegetable donation) will be available, alongside an info stand, jewelry sales by a future resident, and a musical evening featuring the feminist choir “The Branchs” and guitarist/singer Torine Solo.
But even if you can’t attend, you can contribute! Bazaarrière has launched a Helloasso fundraising campaign to cover the remaining costs of the purchase and initial renovations. Every contribution, big or small, brings them closer to realizing their vision.
Donate to Bazaarrière via Helloasso
The Rise of Alternative Housing: A Growing Trend
Bazaarrière’s initiative is part of a broader global movement towards alternative housing models. From co-housing communities to land trusts and intentional communities, people are increasingly seeking ways to escape the pressures of the traditional housing market and build more sustainable, equitable, and community-focused living arrangements. These models often prioritize affordability, ecological responsibility, and social connection.
SEO Tip: If you’re researching alternative housing options, consider exploring terms like “co-housing,” “intentional communities,” “land trusts,” and “community land trusts” to find resources and inspiration.
The success of Bazaarrière will not only provide a much-needed space for Lyon residents but also serve as a powerful example for other communities seeking to create their own self-managed solutions to the housing crisis. This is a story worth watching – and supporting.
Stay tuned to archyde.com for further updates on this developing story and in-depth coverage of alternative housing initiatives around the world.
