Let’s put becoming a part of a community etc. aside and look at it pragmatically:
If you would drop the bullshit about having to have a share to get on a waiting list of a Wohngenossenschaft, the list would be correct.
Sorry for being busy/lazy today and have you all run things to deepl yourself:
the bit about NOT HAVING TO HAVE A SHARE to get on the waiting list is right at the beginning.
I was checking Genossenschaft in Zug and many required purchasing a share first. I was able to register for one in Schwyz without seeing a mention of it anywhere.
Ie. just to give you a few examples:
That’s crazy. It’s like a landlord tells you to pay the deposit in case you get the flat in a year or two.
Reading your link of Liberale Baugenossenschaft Baar sounds fishy. It seems the FDP found a way to make the best for them out of the system of Baugenossenschaft. Not good but no surprise considering FDP as well as canton Zug.
It was a few months ago when I was actively searching but I think all of them in Zug had this condition (maybe one in Cham did not? I am not sure). We probably had different cantons in mind. And it’s normally phrased as supporting the idea of cooperatives.
Many thanks for the links given above for cooperatives. To those who think the concept smells of socialism and are not happy with the concept of deposits - exactly, please stay clear and leave more room for the rest of us.
The requirement to join and buy (at least) one share is probably their way of separating the wheat from the chaff, and reduce their administrative efforts. The money is refundable and interest bearing so you lose nothing, but if you can’t afford 1k they won’t want you anyways.
Asking honestly. Is the effort really worth it?
1’560 francs a month for a 3.5 room in Winterthur. Since they don’t mention anything about a lift or parking, it’s safe to assume not available. Of course, the apartment has not been renovated recently. Thus, the price is comparable to any commercial offer.
Made a quick search in immoscout and there’s a 3.5 room in Oberwinterthur for 1’641 francs. Probably as old as the genossenschaft one, but less hoops to jump through.
Genossenchaft apartments make sense if people like to live in a city without paying too much. If not bounded by the requirement of living in a expensive city, it’s as cheap or cheaper to live among the farms and the rüeblis.
One of the advantages of being an immigrant is being fully aware of the possibility of moving to another place for better conditions. Roots are for the trees 
Deposits are fine, it’s not fine however when such as deposit is de facto a lottery ticket.
If someone is already living in the area and doesn’t mind waiting years to get specifically into a cooperative, then it’s probably OK to buy this refundable lottery ticket though. Would you target one cooperative, or would you purchase quasi shares in a few? =)
How long is your piece of string?
I can share my thoughts on living in ZH vs elsewhere 
Let’s assume we’re targeting an apartment such as,
And let’s assume that our objective is not only to live our lives comfortably but also to be able to make savings.
I’ve been given offer from Familia https://www.familia-zug.ch/ without ever paying anything up front as implied in this thread. I didn’t subscribe to any waiting list though, but was introduced as nachmieter, then some issues arouse and when I totally forgot about it I received the news just few months later. However, it’s true, the rent wasn’t much lower then what I pay now for apartment owned by insurance fund. Considering I have better apartment and much better location, I’d say the rent was equal in terms of what you get for your bucks.
This one looks ok indeed:
Das erforderliche Mindestanteilscheinkapital für Mieter, in der Höhe von CHF 4’000 und/oder Mietzinsdepot muss vor der Schlüsselübergabe einbezahlt werden.
I wonder if I’d get banned if I’d be applying periodically as a security measure and not taking it
