I'd like to know if this happens often.
Another problem encountered by groups and individuals wanting to build a housing cooperative is soil contamination. This is a common problem in low-income working-class neighbourhoods. Even if the funds can be found to purchase the land and build the cooperative, there simply isn't any money for soil decontamination. To all intents and purposes, these projects cannot get off the ground.
Is this a common problem? If it is, the federal government could help cover the cost of decontaminating the soil or, at the very least, clean up the soil before a project gets under way.