Swiss housing cooperatives are offering an unconventional “third way” between renting and owning: member-run, nonprofit buildings where residents invest in shares to gain admission and pay below-market rents. (The New York Times)
Southampton just slammed the door on weekend getaways, banning short-term rentals for stays of less than two weeks after residents complained about parties. Critics say the move hurts the town’s economy, guts local Airbnb income, and turns the Hamptons into even more of a gated playground for the one percent. (New York Post)
NYU’s new Swap Shop went viral, drawing a block-long line of students—and their parents—for free dorm castoffs like microwaves, mini fridges, and even a pair of Louboutins. Here’s how the student-run event, hosted in a former grocery store and stocked with 5,000 items, turned move-out waste into a treasure trove. (@Shoprat via Substack)

Developers are reportedly circling like vultures in places that have suffered wildfires, snapping up burned lots before residents can rebuild. But in places like Altadena, California, and Lahaina, Hawaii, neighbors are fighting back by creating land trusts to keep ownership local and affordable. (High Country News)
Germany is betting on a prefab comeback, but this time swapping the Cold War’s depressing, concrete “Plattenbauten” for sleek, timber-framed blocks that reduce costs and construction time. (Bloomberg)

Top photo by Chris Ricco - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images