RE: Affordable Foray
From: Jennye (jennyemike3cox.net)
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2003 12:02:04 -0600 (MDT)
I'm a Southern California person as well, and I have had the worst time
trying to find interested parties here in Orange County. We haven't even
gotten to the 1st meeting because no matter how many people I talk to or
email etc., we remain the only ones interested that I can locate.

Part of the issue is affordability, I think. We make a decent living,
but not really decent enough to buy here in Orange County, where the
best we seem to be able to do is a 2BR condo with no outdoor space for
between $260,000 and $300,000. 

I have considered going to local cities, like Moreno Valley in Riverside
County is doing, and see if we can develop some sort of moderate income
housing cohousing community that will offer some cost benefits to people
in our position, offer a few low-income home-owning opportunities, that
also includes gardens and more natural play areas for children instead
of having to pack them up and head to a park for any outdoor time at
all.

The challenge is the work. We have to make a living. DH makes his living
doing something that can only be done in a few different cities, mostly
along the west coast, and mostly in expensive places like southern CA
and the SF Bay area. And so we are stuck, like so many others, in an
industry that pays well, but not for where we need to live. Otherwise we
would pack it all up and head to a more cohousing friendly place. And we
have been giving considerable though to doing just that.

Jen 
 
 
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
[mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org] On Behalf Of donna ellis
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2003 12:41 PM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: Re: [C-L]_Affordable Foray


Casey,

You are absolutely right about prices here.    The folk who made those
comments, or agreed with them, are people seriously interested in
co-housing, but feel priced out.  They would be considered middle-class+
anywhere but LA.  Here, you need a great deal of income to buy in the
neighborhood where you might be renting.

Several groups in LA are trying to put together cohousing communities,
but
the property and construction costs are outrageous.  To move away from
LA to
an existing or forming cohousing community, requires finding a new job.
Non-owning options for co-housing arrangements carry the risk of losing
the
property and, therefore, your home.  Also, what if the property owner
defaults on their payment?

BTW, at first glance, it does seem odd that residents of LA would think
of
any place else (or any other population group) as trendy or clique-like.
The perception vs. reality of the majority who live in LA, and why they
stay, has amazed me and often broken my heart.  Many elderly, who are
life-long residents, live below the poverty line.  There is a large
community of artists.  A lot of social/political activists live here.
Many
immigrants.  Also, many people come here because of a job, then get laid
off.  Most who can barely afford to live here, also cannot afford to
move
away.  

I really appreciate the input I've received on this topic, on and off
list.

Peace,
Donna Ellis

> From: "Casey Morrigan" <cjmorr [at] pacbell.net>
> Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 16:18:40 -0800
> To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: RE: [C-L]_Affordable Foray
> 
> 
> I was thinking one reason affordability was such a hot topic was that,
> especially in California, the market is such that homeownership is
tough to
> achieve.
> 
> It's interesting that someone from the LA area would think that
cohousing
> could become trendy - because there's not much cohousing there.  Maybe
in
> the future.  Anyway, bring it on - I'd love to see it become a trend
and
> popular. Maybe - it would get cheaper!  Volume pricing.
> 
> I'd say our community does have some characteristics of a clique (we
do know
> each other better than we know our other neighbors and we do spend
time with
> each other) and some open boundaries that are not clique-like
(reaching out
> to our nearby neighbors, inclusive meals, social events open to many,
open
> and unclique-like attitudes).
> 
> Casey Morrigan
> Two Acre Wood
> Sebastopol California
> 
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
>> [mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org]On Behalf Of donna ellis
>> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 1:35 PM
>> To: cohousing L
>> Subject: [C-L]_Affordable Foray
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Found it interesting to see how the list's conversation just
>> took off on the
>> topic of affordability.  A number of people I've spoken to
>> (here in Los
>> Angeles area) seem concerned that co-housing will suddenly
>> become trendy and
>> clique-ish.  One striking remark was that they'd become a
>> 'series of yuppie
>> enclaves.'
>> 
>> Would anyone be interested in exploring the possibility of
>> putting together
>> an intentionally affordable community?  Where there's a
>> niche, there's a
>> way.  If you'd like to discuss further, please contact me and we can
>> brainstorm.
>> 
>> Donna Ellis
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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