MAJ – Mary Ann Johnson Housing co-op

Investing in Mary Ann Johnson Housing Co-op

Posted on June 21, 2026June 25, 2026 by majhousingcoop

Appeal for Loanstock and Donations – Ends 21 July 2026

We are currently seeking loanstock, the principal source of funding for many small co-operatives. This is a form of fixed-term loan made by groups and individuals to the co-operative. Rather than being paid back in instalments, the total amount borrowed will be repaid at the end of the agreed term.

We welcome investments of any size and would prefer loans with fixed terms ranging between 5 and 20 years. With interest rates being what they are at the moment, we would normally offer 0% interest, but we are happy to negotiate on an individual basis with each potential investor. Any investment made with us will be managed through a contract. Updates about our project and activities will be available on request (and on our website!).

We are a long-established group, who have had to overcome many obstacles to get this far, and have now gained valuable experience in buying, converting and managing properties. We are confident that our determination and resilience as a group will enable us to realise our dreams – but your generosity is needed to make this possible!

Investing in Mary Johnson Housing Co-op is an investment in social change through sustainable housing, community-based politics and the possibility of a better future.

If you would like to make a donation or apply for Loanstock, you can fill in our contact form here

We did it!

Posted on June 11, 2025August 10, 2025 by majhousingcoop

Friends, we did it! In October 2024 MAJ completed the purchase of a 2 bedroom flat in Haringey and our member and her son have been living there ever since. It is a lovely little flat and it will stay in common ownership for generations to come. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing community of friends, comrades and supporters – thank you!

Welcome To Our New Website

Posted on January 24, 2020February 14, 2022 by majhousingcoop

There’s been a lot going on for Mary Ann Johnson Housing co-operative recently, including buying a new property for the co-op which we hope to complete on in the next few days, plus two new members and their children joining and giving us much needed energy. We’ve been pretty bad at keeping our old website updated during the last few years and letting our funders know what we are getting up to, but with the launch of this new website we hope to change all that.

We’ve moved all our details and content over here ready for a fresh start, and will be keeping this site updated so be sure to refresh your links and bookmarks and don’t miss out!

It’s a big ask, but…

Posted on March 28, 2016March 27, 2020 by majhousingcoop

Our last insecurely housed member needs a home!

Over the last eight years we have somehow managed to buy two houses in London to securely house most of our members. Buying one in London seemed hard enough, but managing to get the second seemed at times like an impossible dream. And we are really grateful everyone that helped us to make that dream come true. But, although nine of us are now securely housed we still have one member who is in insecure rented accommodation. Worse than that, we have just heard that the landlord where they live is now selling the house, so within two or three months our last insecurely housed member will likely be homeless.

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New Year, New Homes

Posted on February 25, 2016January 23, 2020 by majhousingcoop

Well the end of 2015 saw an exciting new development for MAJ – we bought a new property! A house with a one bedroom flat downstairs and a two bedroom flat upstairs near the Spurs ground in Tottenham… in fact as I write this I can hear the singing cheering Spurs fans which I am guessing means they won.

We completed in late November 2015 and three of us moved in by mid December, and as it was a real fixer-upper the place was a bit of a building site. Downstairs had no bathroom and upstairs had no kitchen (or kitchen floor) so for about two and a half weeks the day would start early with drilling, plastering, walls going up, cabinets being hung, great big holes being made for great big pipes and one co-op member up on the roof making it sound so that the constant rain wouldn’t drip on our heads as we slept.

The downstairs kitchen and bathroom needed extensive work

What a palaver! But all the main work that was needed to make it habitable was done by Christmas and now those of us who live here are really loving the feeling of a secure roof over our heads for the first time. Oh, and having moved out of a completely unmodernised building, the joys of hot showers and central heating just can’t be appreciated enough.

The upstairs kitchen didn’t even have a floor!

This has been a major achievement for MAJ – we’ve been trying to get the rest of our members safely housed for years and it feels great to have three more of us under another MAJ owned roof. Thank you so much to all of those who have helped us with loanstock, gifts, advice and moral and practical support, without you this could not have happened and we are incredibly grateful. But we can’t rest on our laurels as we still have one member in a perilously vulnerable housing situation, plus more work needs to be done on the new house (some walls and doors still need putting in, and access to the garden for the top floor flat). More about that soon.