Vision Statement
Our housing cooperative will create a model that offers a variety of options for its community members. Through a multi-model housing system, this cooperative will create flexible housing opportunities, reflecting the diverse needs of its co-op community. This will ensure a cooperative that is based on its members unique needs, in recognition that housing is first and foremost making a home.
Jessica Mahoney - President
I’ve lived in a housing co-op for over 10 years, an experience that’s shown me the power of co-ops in building strong, supportive communities. During that time, I’ve served on the board, worked with funding partners, and collaborated with other co-ops to share ideas and support. I’m excited to bring that experience to this new co-op as we build something rooted in our shared values.
Shawn Bisson - Treasurer
I am a board member with over a decade of experience in housing cooperatives and am committed to building strong, inclusive communities. My background spans 15 years in the non-profit arts sector, where I cultivated a deep appreciation for collaboration, accessibility, and community-building. For the past five years, I’ve worked in architecture as a technologist, specializing in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and building science, with a focus on sustainable, people-centered placemaking. As a cycling advocate and urbanist, I’m passionate about safe streets, complete communities, and expanding non-market housing opportunities that prioritize people over profit.
Jordan Palmer - Secretary
I’m an audio engineer and sound designer living in Halifax, NS. I bring a background in the arts with a strong focus on project management and creative problem-solving to my role. As a cooperative housing board member, I advocate for walkable, inclusive neighbourhoods that prioritize sustainability and connection.
Alison Crosby - Vice President
I am a theatre artist originally from Unama’ki / Cape Breton and currently based in Kjipuktuk / Halifax. With eleven years of professional experience in the arts, I have a background in creative work, not-for-profit funding, and project management. As a founding member of Placeholder Co-op, I strive to work toward creative housing solutions that centre around sustainability and community engagement.
jUstin Langois - Member At Large
As a Franco-Ontarien from Cornwall, Ontario—on the traditional territory of the Mohawks of Akwesasne—I grew up immersed in music, community arts, and shared traditions. That passion for creative expression later blended with my professional path when I studied Architectural Technologies in Ottawa and pursued a career in architecture. Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of working on projects ranging from single-family homes to multi-storey mixed-use developments and Indigenous cultural centres in the Maritimes. With this experience in architecture and construction, I am excited to help shape a housing co-op that celebrates the arts, strengthens community, and creates a lasting sense of place.
Quentin Mawson - Member At Large
Born into the Bain Co-op in Toronto, I grew up surrounded by the rhythm of shared walls and shared lives. Later, working in co-operatively run businesses, I saw how ownership spreads wider and lighter when it belongs to everyone. My background in visual communication, from fashion to cannabis to architecture, has taught me that expression can take many forms, but it always thrives in a supportive community. I see co-ops as small steps in human evolution: playful spaces where creativity, care, and connection spark new ways of living together, guided by the oldest instinct we have: to share life as family.