Re: member of more than one group?
From: Raines Cohen (coho-Lraines.com)
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 16:02:19 -0700 (MST)
Catya Belfer-Shevett <catya [at] homeport.org> wrote on ri, 24 Dec 1999 
17:52:35 -0500 (EST):
>I've noticed a few postings here that mentioned being involved with more than
>one cohousing group... Is this common?  Is it considered "bad form"?
>
>I'm thinking of getting involved in a couple of local possibilities, but 
>am not sure what the proper etiquette around that would be..

I'm one of the ones you saw. I'm involved in both an established group 
that is preparing to move in within a couple of months, construction 
almost complete (Old Oakland Cohousing at Swan's Market), and a new group 
(East Bay Cohousing) that doesn't even have a site yet and is just past 
its first year of getting organized and educated. Being in more than one 
group raises eyebrows (perhaps because we know how much time and energy 
and how many meetings being in one group requires... imagine doubling 
that!), but I think it makes sense for me.

I joined the latter group because:

(a) I joined OOCoHo "just" two-and-a-half years ago, so I missed its 
first few years of operation, lots of the design and initial group 
process.
(b) It typically takes groups five years to go through the cohousing 
development process to the point of moving in. Will I want to live in 
downtown Oakland in five years in a studio loft? That's longer than I've 
lived anywhere but where I grew up. It's nice to have a "backup plan". I 
could always end up just investing in the latter group if they end up 
selecting a site/plan that doesn't meet my needs, or if I decide I prefer 
living at Old Oakland.
(c) The latter group is mostly younger, more interested in 
community-development and environmental concerns. While part of this 
could be because they have yet to have their ranks reduced by a test of 
"can-I-afford-to-buy?", I like the people and I'm eager to retain a 
connection with them.
(d) I'm interested in fostering connections between groups, and my 
experience with OOcoHo can help me provide information so the group 
doesn't make the same mistakes (it can come up with new, DIFFERENT 
mistakes to make!)

So, to make it clear, these groups are not "competing" in any sense of 
the word... Swan's has been fully reserved for some time. At least one 
other OOCoHo member is also active in EBCOHO, although she was on the 
waiting list when she started.

I highly encourage everybody to maintain both formal and informal 
communication and cooperation between groups, locally and regionally, to 
take advantage of opportunities for pooling resources, political 
influence, or purchasing power, to help educate the community about 
CoHousing, to refer inquiries, and the like.

Something I have yet to propose to either group but will be inquiring 
about: looking at whether the shell LLC can be transferred to the new 
group (after distributing its assets when its business is wrapped up with 
Swan's and the Homeowner's Association is established) to save it the 
cost and time-delay of going through that process.

Raines


Raines Cohen <coho-L [at] raines.com> <http://www.swansway.com/>
Catching up on the year's finances.

  Member, Old Oakland [CA] Cohousing at Swan's Market
Where the fishmarket's trash is noticable a block away when it's not 
collected promptly!

  and Member, East Bay Cohousing [no site yet] <http://www.ebcoho.org/>
Which needs some convincing to join TCN... ammo, anyone?

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