The cooperative community is managed by its members in a democratically-controlled fashion. They participate in the general meetings, elect officers, and are elected to various committees.

The cooperative can have covenants that regulate the use of individual houses and the land on which the houses are situated. For example, cooperatives can establish policies to prevent members from using their houses for businesses that create excessive noise or for storing dangerous materials on the plot. The purpose of such covenants is to safeguard the neighborhood.

Cooperatives can help maintain a neighborhood environment and can also improve it. It can arrange for security, plant and maintain green areas, build and lease community facilities, purchase and operate equipment to maintain the property, and regulate improvements on existing structures. Any or all of these activities help build a better cooperative community.