What we do

Surcoop Cooperative Ltd. provides affordable and secure housing to families on low to moderate income in the Fairfield Local Government Area.

History Background

The idea of creating Surcoop was conceived initially by two families living in Fairfield, a city in South West Sydney, when a social worker from Burnside first introduced the idea to them in July 1992.

Soon after, more friends in similar housing circumstances joined the group and the idea of getting a house under a Common Equity program offered by the then Department of Housing, became very attractive to them.

On 26 September 1992, it was decided to proceed with the project and with the assistance of the then Association to Resource Cooperative Housing (ARCH), the group walked into the first stage to become what Surcoop is today.

Surcoop was officially incorporated with the Registry of Cooperatives on 20 January 1995. The first house handed over to Surcoop by the Department of Housing was a 4 bedroom house in Bossley Park on 31 March 1995.

Since then, Surcoop has become a self-managed organisation thanks to the voluntary and efficient work of its members.

 
Today

Currently, Surcoop provides secure and affordable housing to six families, comprising 25 people distributed in 6 houses within the suburbs of Bossley Park, Edensor Park and Greenfield Park.

Surcoop has an active managing committee with high involvement in the community housing sector through networking with similar cooperatives, peak representative bodies and housing government departments.