WOGEDO

WOGEDO (Wohnungsgenossenschaft Düsseldorf-Ost eG) is a German housing cooperative headquartered in Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld. It traces its origins to 19 July 1919, when 152 workers of the Waggonfabrik Gebr. Schöndorff, together with their employer Albert Schöndorff, founded the charitable workers' building association 'Freiheit' in response to the severe housing shortage after the First World War. The association initially built 300 apartments. In 1942 it merged with three other cooperatives to form the Wohnungsgenossenschaft Düsseldorf-Ost eG, which has traded under the brand name WOGEDO since 1999. Today WOGEDO owns and manages roughly 4,500 apartments and about 1,900 garages, primarily in the eastern districts of Düsseldorf such as Gerresheim and Unterrath. It is a member-owned cooperative: to rent a WOGEDO apartment one must join the cooperative by acquiring cooperative shares, on which a dividend of currently 4% is paid. Membership also confers participation and voting rights. Members enjoy lifelong tenancy rights and protection against termination for owner's own use, and the cooperative itself cannot be sold. Sales of apartments generally occur only to members for the purpose of building home ownership, which is why cooperative housing is often described as a third way between renting and owning. Beyond letting apartments, WOGEDO offers technical services and supports members in fitting out their homes. Under its equipment package, members moving into selected existing apartments can choose between the AROS, BAYA and COSMO fit-out lines at no extra charge, selecting tile looks, sanitary ware and fittings, and can view samples in a showroom at the WOGEDO office at Gleiwitzer Straße 8 in Düsseldorf. The cooperative is also implementing several replacement construction projects in Unterrath and Gerresheim that will create more than 200 new apartments. As of 30 September 2021 it had 9,991 members. WOGEDO presents itself with the slogan 'Wohnen, leben, zu Hause sein. Heute und morgen.' (Living, life, being at home. Today and tomorrow.) and maintains a community portal for finding apartments, reporting repairs and making contact.

WOGEDO's history begins in the industrial east of Düsseldorf in the aftermath of the First World War. On 19 July 1919, 152 workers of the Waggonfabrik Gebr. Schöndorff, together with their employer Albert Schöndorff, founded the charitable workers' building association 'Freiheit' (Arbeiter-Bauverein Freiheit). The motivation was the acute housing shortage after the end of the First World War. The members of the building association initially erected 300 apartments, providing decent and affordable housing for working families. In 1942, the association merged with three other cooperatives to form the Wohnungsgenossenschaft Düsseldorf-Ost eG. This cooperative structure consolidated the earlier self-help building efforts into a single organization serving the eastern districts of Düsseldorf. Since 1999 the cooperative has operated under the brand name WOGEDO, a contraction of its full legal name. Over the decades WOGEDO built up a substantial portfolio. Its current housing stock comprises approximately 4,500 apartments, complemented by about 1,900 garages. As of 30 September 2021 the cooperative had 9,991 members. Its headquarters is in Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld. In recent years WOGEDO has pursued replacement construction projects in Unterrath and Gerresheim, creating more than 200 new apartments to modernize and expand its stock. It also broadened its service offering beyond pure letting, providing technical services and allowing members moving into selected existing apartments to personalize their homes through the AROS, BAYA and COSMO fit-out lines at no extra charge, with a sample room at its Gleiwitzer Straße office. The cooperative continues to recruit staff, for example advertising for an architect and a real estate management clerk, reflecting its ongoing development activity.

• 2021

  As of 30 September, the cooperative has 9,991 members.

• 1999

  The cooperative adopts the brand name WOGEDO.

• 1942

  Merger with three other cooperatives forms the Wohnungsgenossenschaft Düsseldorf-Ost eG.

• 1919

  On 19 July, 152 workers of the Waggonfabrik Gebr. Schöndorff and employer Albert Schöndorff found the Arbeiter-Bauverein Freiheit; 300 apartments are initially built.

Member-owned housing cooperative offering secure, lifelong tenancy as a 'third way' between renting and owning, with a focus on eastern Düsseldorf.

• Cooperative apartments

  Around 4,500 rental apartments owned by the cooperative, available to members.

• Garages

  About 1,900 garages in the cooperative's portfolio.

• AROS fit-out line

  White wall tiles 30x60 cm, dark floor tiles, high-quality sanitary ware, chrome fittings, shower screen, white kitchen splashback, LED ceiling spots in the bathroom.

• BAYA fit-out line

  New bathroom line in taupe, taupe wall and floor tiles 30x60 cm, high-quality sanitary ware, chrome fittings, shower screen, white kitchen splashback, LED ceiling spots.

• COSMO fit-out line

  Dark wall and floor tiles 30x60 cm, high-quality sanitary ware, chrome fittings, shower screen, white kitchen splashback, LED ceiling spots.

1. 1WOGEDO official websitewogedo.de
2. 2Ausstattungspaket & Raumserviceswogedo.de
3. 3WOGEDO – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
4. 4WOGEDO – Wikidatawikidata.org