Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Are We Done with the Rental Issue?

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 15 Feb 2011, at 11:30 PM, Craig Ragland wrote:

> My experience is that putting out messages and requests to Coho-L rarely
> results in action or clear deliverables

Actually, I disagree with this. I attribute the growth of cohousing to this 
list. Without it, I don't think we would have a hundred communities built, 
particularly not in the areas of the country where there were no developers.

Two major reasons: 1. People could lurk here and watch the discussions of those 
who were living in and building other communities, and 2. Forming and new 
communities had a place to ask questions.

Both of these were crucial in a movement was essentially do it yourself. There 
was no association to help them and the government was not interested.

It is only now that all those hardy souls who participated in and benefited 
from this list have proved that cohousing is a sound model for residential 
housing and city planning is it even worth the time to have a national 
association that can be visible at the state and federal level.

I think Zev's question is well taken, as is Craig's response. It has too often 
been the case over the last 15+ years that the messages from the national 
association only appear on the list in a way that does less to enrich the 
discussion here and more to close it down. It too often feels like, "If you 
really want to do something shut up and come help us over here because we are 
really doing anything helpful over there."

Some people like email lists and some don't. But to infer that the list is not 
effective and only an organization like Coho US can get things done is not 
helpful or accurate. They do different things for people in different 
developmental stages of cohousing. I doubt if anyone joins the board with the 
mission of answering questions on Cohousing-L, but one of the best things the 
board could do might be to ensure that one member is regularly visible on the 
list - not posting announcements, press releases, or calling for volunteers, 
but sharing information that they glean from board meetings.

The ideal would be to have information and support going both ways so neither 
party feels dismissed or ignored.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
"Reality is something you rise above." Liza Minnelli