Spring Street Co-op
Fiscal Host: HJN Co-ops
Building cooperative housing on Spring Street in Winston-Salem, NC
Contribute
Become a financial contributor.
Events
Spring Street Co-op is hosting the following events.
Past event
09:00 PM-11:00 PM UTC
Past event
04:00 PM-06:00 PM UTC
Financial Contributions
Top financial contributors
Abi
$1,150 USD since Apr 2024
Eric Tov
$870 USD since Oct 2023
Sadie
$750 USD since Mar 2024
Chrus
$725 USD since Oct 2023
Sidney
$525 USD since Feb 2025
Emma
$410 USD since May 2024
travis
$240 USD since Feb 2025
8
kickpants
$200 USD since Jan 2025
Olivia
$180 USD since Jul 2024
Jami
$160 USD since Apr 2024
Lala
$136 USD since Apr 2024
Dan
$130 USD since Nov 2023
13
deftgurl
$130 USD since Oct 2025
EmKay
$125 USD since Nov 2023
Amy
$120 USD since Mar 2024
Ben Gryder
$120 USD since Apr 2024
Desiree
$120 USD since Apr 2024
Stephen Kridel
$90 USD since Nov 2023
Reed
$90 USD since May 2025
20
Guest
$50 USD since Mar 2024
Spring Street Co-op is all of us
Our contributors 43
Thank you for supporting Spring Street Co-op.
Eric Tov
Core Contributor
$870 USD
Chrus
Admin
$725 USD
Desiree
Core Contributor
$120 USD
mekaann evans
Core Contributor
$7 USD
Phillip
Admin
Dan R
Core Contributor
Vala Rizvanolli
Admin
Jake
Admin
Noah S.
Admin
Spring Street...
Admin
Abi
Neighbor
$1,150 USD
Estimated Annual Budget
$3,108
Today's Balance
$5,826.46
About
Welcome to the Spring Street Co-op! Our mission is to lead the charge in Winston-Salem for a future where everyone has access to safe, secure, affordable housing, starting with our historic complex on Spring Street. With your help, we can empower local residents to live without landlords and create that brighter, more equitable future.
What is a housing co-op?
Does anyone like having a landlord? They collect hundreds or even thousands of dollars from you every month to live in a place that you can never own, they set strict rules on what you can do with your own living space, and they never seem to take it seriously when the repairs they’re responsible for start to pile up. And that’s to say nothing of the random rent hikes you can’t do anything about. There’s got to be a better way, right?
Co-ops are that better way! Under a co-op structure, ownership of a building is divided equally between the tenants who live in it. Rent is only collected to perform maintenance on the building, not to generate profit, which keeps the cost of living in a co-op relatively low and stable. Because it’s tenant-owned, everything a co-op does is controlled by and directly beneficial to its residents, not outside ownership.
Like most cities, Winston-Salem is burdened with an exploitative rental market that buys up properties and overcharges residents for one of the most basic necessities in life. Private landlords are keeping working class citizens down and even putting their safety at risk. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Homes are places to live, not places to make money, and together, we can create a more equitable housing system that understands that.
Who are the people running the Spring Street Co-Op?
People like you! Once tenants have moved in, the co-op will be primarily maintained and governed by its residents, but for now, the project is managed entirely by concerned citizens lending their talents to a cause they believe in. We’re mostly volunteers, coming from all different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, but we’re united in our belief in a better housing future in Winston-Salem and beyond.
What is Spring Street Co-Op’s plan?
Step 1: Identify a Property – Done!
Step 2: Buy the Property – Done!
Step 3: Renovate the Property – We want this to be a safe, comfortable, homey space for residents to build a life in.
Step 4: Welcome Residents – We hope members of our team will be the ones to move in and call the co-op home.
Step 5: Fund Maintenance and Bill Payments – The collective, non-profit rent model will be put into action to keep the co-op running smoothly.
Step 6: Replicate the Process – Once we’ve proven that this model of housing works on Spring Street, all that’s left to do is start empowering tenants elsewhere!
How can I help?
There’s still plenty of work to do at the co-op before it’s ready for residents. By contributing to our seed fund, you can support repairs to the building’s roof, HVAC, cabinets, plumbing, flooring, and more. If you would like to become a voting member of the co-op, please reach out to us directly about how to get involved.
Thank you in advance for your support. Together, we can make the future of Winston-Salem more livable for everyone!
Did you know?
- The neighborhood has been here for over 100 years – 207 N Spring St is believed to have been established in 1920 and was first owned by paving contractor Austin E. Burke. Burke and his family likely used the structure as a carriage house or garage while living in the house at 209 Spring St.
- The current building started life as an apartment complex – Thomas H. Covington, a carpenter, took ownership of the house at 209 Spring St in 1962. Soon after, he acquired 207 N Spring St and built the horseshoe shaped building that is now the co-op as an apartment complex.
- The building was a refuge for people living with AIDS – AIDS Care Service of Forsyth County operated out of the 209 Spring St building for several years before they ceased operations in 2016, at which point the property was abandoned.
- The property was almost purchased by a NASCAR manager – The city considered multiple deals that would have handed the co-op location to local developers, including one who got a lien approved but never finalized the purchase, seemingly to focus on managing his NASCAR team.
- The co-op can’t be flipped – Our covenant on the property mandates that it can’t be sold for profit, so you never have to worry about bad actors taking over.
- No “luxury” rent hikes – Our agreement with the city requires that the co-op be affordable and exclusively available to residents making less than 50% of the local median income. That means payments for residents will start low and stay low.
- The board will maintain the co-op's focus on affordability – The co-op will be governed by the residents of each of the five units, but the co-op’s board of directors will have veto power over any decisions that jeopardize the mission of affordable housing. This prevents anyone from taking advantage of the co-op’s unique ownership model by, for instance, renting out their own unit for an inflated price.
- This kind of housing has never been attempted in Winston-Salem before – But hey, trying things that have never been done before is the only way to make history!
Connect
Let’s get the ball rolling!
News from Spring Street Co-op
Updates on our activities and progress.
November Update
Dear co-op supporter,It’s been an eventful few weeks at 207 N Spring Street! We recently celebrated Halloween at the co-op with dozens of members and new faces. It was a beautiful evening that we hope resembles the future of the co-op’s cul...
Published on November 17, 2025 by Jake
Membership Survey
Hey everyone,We’re working on a member spreadsheet to help make sure we’re in regular contact with as many members as possible. Please fill out this survey whenever you have a chance, and if you know anyone interested in getting organized w...
Published on October 27, 2025 by Jake
Annual Update
Dear co-op supporter, It’s been a while since the last update, but make no mistake, a lot has happened in the past year at 207 N Spring Street. Among the biggest highlights: The city forgave the lien on the building and we were able to fina...
Published on October 13, 2025 by Jake
Conversations
Let’s get the discussion going! This is a space for the community to converse, ask questions, say thank you, and get things done together.
Fall Cleanup Day on Sunday October 26
Published on October 23, 2025 by Jake
Hey everyone! We’re having a cleanup day at the co-op (207 N Spring Street) this Sunday afternoon...
Schedule of when we work
Published on October 25, 2023 by Eric Tov
As of October 24th, 2023 we do work on Sundays at 10am and working meetings Wednesdays at 6:30pm.
Budget
Transparent and open finances.
Credit from Jamie C to Spring Street Co-op •
+$5.00USD
Completed
Contribution #894807
+$36.00USD
Completed
Contribution #877077
+$5.00USD
Completed
Contribution #873944
$
Today’s balance$5,826.46 USD
Total raised
$6,437.39 USD
Total disbursed
$610.93 USD
Estimated annual budget
$3,108.00 USD