Re: policies for renting units
From: Ann Zabaldo (zabaldoearthlink.net)
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2016 06:06:35 -0700 (PDT)
Hi All —

Just one addition to my neighbor Sharon’s post:  we’ve had our share of dubious 
renters here a la cohousing.  A number of them have lived here and contributed 
nada to the work of keeping up the community altho’ they enjoyed all the 
privileges.  Ditto for “housemates.”

AND … we’ve certainly had many renters who have contributed more than some of 
our homeowners.

Part of the complexity of having renters here in DC is that the renter has the 
right of first refusal for buying a home.  So when a homeowner rents their home 
he/she may also be identifying a future homeowner should the homeowner then 
decide to sell.

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church, VA
202.546.4654

My password is the last 5 digits of Pi …


> On Sep 9, 2016, at 12:22 PM, Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>> On Sep 8, 2016, at 5:09 PM, Kathy Tymoczko <kathy.tymoczko [at] gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>> We're wondering what kinds of policies other communities have and how you
>> handle the above situations.
> 
> It’s important to have time limits on rentals. We have had wonderful renters 
> so the issue is opposite of negative experience with renters.
> 
> You have wonderful renters who want to buy a unit and could afford it, but 
> the owner is making more money by renting than by selling. An owner in our 
> neighborhood can make $1,000 a month by renting. Rents have skyrocketed.
> 
> The problem is that it is a precarious position for renters and neighbors. I 
> happen to live in a row of 4 units with unusual mobility. Two have been 
> stable. In 16 years, one has been sold or rented 4 times. Another has been 
> rented for 3 years twice. For the first three years 3 different families 
> lived there. One did not speak English or participate in the community. For 
> the second of those 3 year periods, one family has occupied the unit and has 
> wanted to buy it. In  my opinion the owner has held on to the unit for the 
> income. The owner has no intention of returning. 
> 
> This creates an awkward position for neighbors. We want them to stay but have 
> no control over the situation. The owner could return at any time and boost 
> them out. Push turns to shove. What will resolve the situation is that the 
> owner will run up against the 3 year limit. It could be extended for good 
> cause but there isn’t one in this case.
> 
> We did have extensions during the housing crisis and no one could sell. It 
> made sense to extend leases.
> 
> But to have renters whose situation is precarious, is not comfortable. This 
> owner who is now working in Asia also had 6-7 roommates in the second 
> bedroom. I feel as if I live next to an AirBnB. That isn’t what I expected 
> when I moved into cohousing. It’s a unique case but unique cases can become 
> the norm.
> 
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines, Historic Takoma Park
> In Washington DC, Where all roads lead to Casablanca
> 
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