Cohousing-L Mailing List: N Street Cohousing - other retrofits?

[Jeffrey O. Hobson (dcn00109]

Hi folks.  I've been listening in for the past week or so, and thought I'd
take the time to introduce myself and ask a question or two.

I live in N Street Cohousing, that retrofit evolutionary place in Davis.  As
I think others have introduced N Street on the list before, I won't try to
give a comprehensive intro myself.  However, I do want to tootle our horn a
bit here, because I think the fact that I am able to live here says
something good about our particular route to cohousing.  I am young - 24
years old, nowhere near being in the financial or psychological position to
buy a house.  However, I am absolutely certain that I want to live in a
cooperative living situation.

This community, with its low-budget approach, numerous places for renters,
and open evolutionary style, has been wonderful for me.  As someone who is
concerned about social and economic justice, the fact that we are following
a cohousing path with $12/month in dues, $0.25/meal tax, and no other
required financial commitment to the community is encouraging.  As someone
who is interested in consensus decision-making, I find it remarkable that we
are able to continue to achieve consensus and value everyone's input mostly
equally while having a moderate turnover rate (about 15% per year, of adults).

If we are doing it, others can, and probably are, too.

I would very much like to hear about other groups out there, whether they
call themselves "cohousing" or "intentional communities" or "walruses", who
are following a similar path.  I read about Portland's (Oregon) OnGoing
Concerns, or Sabin Cohousing in the _In Context_ article last year, but
can't find a contact for them.  I know several groups have created cohousing
out of existing buildings (Emeryville, others?), but so far I have only
heard of other groups which have approached it as one big move: a group
slowly coalesces through a year or three of meetings, eventually buying the
land/houses & remodelling them for cohousing in one mostly coordinated effort.

Are there other groups who are incrementally taking over existing housing?
Are there other groups that have a significant portion of rental units
(approx 2/3 of the adults at N St. are renters)?  Are there folks who are
trying, have tried, would like to try?  Anybody have ideas as to how this
version of the cohousing model could spread?

I look forward to hearing from folks on via the list, or directly.

Jeffrey Hobson                                    N Street Cohousing 
dcn00109 [at] wheel.ucdavis.edu         Davis Energy Group