Cohousing-L Mailing List: house location selection

[School of Mathematics, U of MN (dept]

Nancy asked whether there was any moving of buildings to suit the wishes of 
individual owner in order to break ties for popular location.

At Monterey-Mpls that was really not possible, although all of us, I'm 
sure, would have liked to have out houses face the woods.  The buildable 
portion of the site is so small and the configuration of the space such 
that the smaller units had to be placed away from the woods and the larger 
ones in the "bulge" next to the woods.  This was the only way all the 
various sized units could be squeezed into the space and at the same time 
leave the maximum open green space in the center.

When the mansion was divided, factors like prime location (south vs. 
north), number of windows, location next to the elevator, etc. were factors 
that made a given unit more expensive or cheaper (in addition to just plain 
square footage of the unit).  We had a number of people with minimum 
financial resources and we wanted to make it possible for them to be part 
of the community.  I suppose one can say that those with money wind up in 
the choice locations both in the mansion and the townhouses, but then I'm 
not sure that a specific location of one's house is what makes people
happy in the long run.  If the difference between the various locations is 
not great or if remedies can the devised to improve a location, what is the 
contest about?  

I bought into a condo seven years ago, and while the place is lovely, the 
thing that is driving me out is the poor human climate in that 
development.  

Sorry I don't have a good solution to your problem, Nancy.  Even in our 
situation where choices are limited by circumstances I noticed that 
tensions rise high, and that includes myself as well.  I don't understand 
why.  Even though I "know" that location does not necessarily make happy, I 
find myelf responding with a feeling like a lot is at stake with picking a 
site.  

Anybody have any insight into this feeling?

Monika, Monterey CoHousing-Mpls, dept [at] math.umn.edu