Jose Ospina

Ecological Housing and Self-Build

José Ospina's experience includes:

Post-graduate research into comparative social housing frameworks, leading to an MA (Arch) and the publication of a book Housing Ourselves (Hilary Shipman 1987)

20 years’ experience as Development Officer and Manager for Housing Associations and Co-operatives in the United Kingdom (1976-1996)

Setting up systems to procure and bring back empty properties into use for emergency accommodation (Bristol – 1969-80 and South London 1985-96)

Setting up a national Federation of self-build housing organisations (FEDEVIVIENDA- 1990-92) Colombia, South America

Developing a Co-operative Self-Build for Rent Model, later adopted by the Housing Corporation in England (1987-90)

Managing the Self Build for Rent Programme developed by CHISEL (Co-operative Housing in South East London) (1985-92) and for South London Family Housing Association (1992-96)

Setting up Bristol Self Help Housing Association, a community housing association to make use of empty properties in 1975 (it’s still in operation today)

Setting up a number or short-life, permanent and self-build housing co-operatives and associations in SouthEast England (1985-92)

Secretary and Project Manager for Carbery Housing Association Ltd. a social housing association in West Cork, Ireland, committed to sustainable design and construction (2001 to date)

Expert Evaluator for the URBACT II Operational Programme, assessing projects that foster exchange and learning activities among cities as well as capitalising on mainstream sustainable urban development policies with funding from operational programmes.

His methodology involves:

Researching the integral needs of the beneficiary community (not just their housing needs)

Finding potential synergy that might be developed between different needs (particularly services, training and employment)

Identifying the potential and opportunities for user-involvement and community participation

Researching and integrating state-of-the-art ecological and sustainability principles into the Project

Developing legal and financial frameworks to facilitate these initiatives

Developing sustainable enterprises related on the basis of the development

Evaluation and assessment of projects submitted on the basis of Programme evaluation criteria, scoring criteria and teamwork procedures.