Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Accommodating strangers

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Aug 23, 2018, at 2:20 PM, Cheron Dudley <cherondudley [at] gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> If it’s a total stranger - who plays host? Are there any safety or security 
> issues to consider?

Like Cornerstone we require a host on site for each guest. I don’t think we 
receive many if any requests from total strangers. Usually it is someone from 
another cohousing community.

We defined host as “on-site” because a host might reserve the guest room for a 
friend or relative then go to Chicago on business. The guest needs someone who 
can answer questions and notice if they need to know something they don’t know 
they need to know. Or if  unexpected events occur — like they are reserved for 
the wrong days or the wrong room.

We have a team that is responsible for the cleaning and functioning of the 
guestrooms but not hosting guests. We have a person whose email address is 
published as the general contact the community and people from outside the 
community usually contact him. He has often hosted people himself. Otherwise he 
puts out a message asking if there is anyone who would like to host them. No 
host, no reservation.

Over time, fewer people volunteer to host because it means washing linens and 
cleaning the room, checking guests in and out (getting keys and linens, filling 
out a form, etc,). At first it is exciting to share this wonderful thing called 
cohousing but over time the new wears off and it’s work.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org