In a cooperative ownership, what does an occupant own?

In a cooperative ownership arrangement, the occupants do not own real property in the traditional sense, but rather they own shares in a corporation that owns the entire property. When an individual purchases a unit in a cooperative, they are essentially buying stock in the cooperative entity, which grants them the right to occupy a specific unit and participate in the governance of the corporation.

This structure means that the occupant's ownership is tied to the shares they hold, rather than direct ownership of the land or building. By owning shares, residents have an interest in the whole property and typically benefit from common amenities and shared responsibilities as part of the cooperative community. This is in contrast to other types of property ownership where one might own a leasehold interest or real property rights directly associated with a specific unit.