Baltic Union of Co-operative Housing Associations was founded on Ocober 5 in 1999 in Tallinn. The formation of the union grew out from the need for a joint and strong representation of the housing co-operatives and associations in three small Baltic states. The founders of the union were representatives of co-operative housing organisations in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Why was BUCHA founded:

• Three Baltic states have similar economical and political history
• Three Baltic states have passed the process of privatisation at the beginning of 1990-s
• Majority of the population in all three Baltic states lives in multi-apartment buildings
• Housing stock in the whole Baltic region has been built under the circumstances of a very low building quality and has been without professional maintenance during last 50 years
• Housing stock in all Baltic states needs a large-scale comprehensive energy efficient renovation

The goals of BUCHA:

• Represent co-operative housing movement of Baltic states in Europe and worldwide
• Promote networking and information exchange of co-operative housing sector in the Baltic states
• Supporting the development of housing co-operatives and associations in Baltic states in the framework of different international projects

Activities of BUCHA:

• Organise training and information exchance for cooperative housing sector in Baltic region
• Implementing research and development activites for co-operative housing sector in Baltic region
• Coordinating and representing co-operative housing movement in Baltic region
• Promoting the development of legislation concerning co-operative housing sector in EU and on national level
• Developing the financing opportunities for renovation of housing co-operatives and associations
• Representation and lobby in international organisations and European Union
  .