Re: Affordability w/small homes?
From: Marganne (margannemacnexus.org)
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:14:14 -0700 (PDT)
April said:
I have been considering how to phrase this question for over a month now. I've decided to just be blunt and hope I won't offend anyone.
Are there any cohousing communities that are really affordable?

Ever notice how, on mailing lists, someone posts on the very topic you've been considering bringing up? I really have to thank April for 'priming the pump' on this one.

I'm looking for a housing solution for myself. Cohousing is very attractive to me. I've been reading about cohousing for several years and recently joined a mailing list for people into small homes (less than 1,000 square feet). (The Small House Society
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/smallhousesociety/resources.htm )

Because I live on a fixed income and do not qualify for most housing assistance programs, I can't afford any of the 'affordable' cohousing options. Based on my research on the small home list, I CAN afford to buy land and pay all building costs for well under $100,000 total.

I am willing to simplify my life, get creative, and live in about 500 square feet of well designed, energy efficient (green) home. Some people live very well in less than that amount.



Can this scale of affordable housing be combined with cohousing in some successful manner? I've struggled over how to ask this list about this notion.

Some people cringe at the thought of living in a small home. One of the most difficult things people think they have with 'living small' is not having enough space. People tend to 'live large' in the United States. This list has discussed how many square feet a person needs to be comfortable and how it varies. It is very subjective. It's allot like people discounting cohousing because they don't believe in living with others by consensus can be successful for them.

I'd love to bring all the people from the small houses mailing list together with all of you so everyone could answer everyone else's questions. (Would make my job easier.)

What I'm asking is:
--Are there existing or formulating cohousing projects that use the small home concept? --Are there people like me who would consider cohousing in a project with smaller homes that cost less to build?

Due to my circumstances, I'd like to find some sort of 'community' where I could live actively now and possibly for the remainder of my life. I feel certain there are many other people like me -- with very little or no family -- who like the idea of creating a family by choice.

Is it possible to find/start a project like this? Here I go throwing my ideas into the virtual universe to see what happens. :-)

Cheers!
Marganne

P.S. Thank you again, April, for bringing this up.

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