Cohousing-L Mailing List: Is consensus holding back the cohousing movement?

[Anna Amato (aamato216]

Hello Fellow Cohousers!

My name is Anna Amato and I live at Takoma Village Cohousing in Washington
DC along with listserv regulars (and my friends) Sharon Villines and Ann
Zabaldo.

Something came up recently that got me wondering.

One of our very active members has recently announced that she is moving
for personal reasons. When I asked her if she is considering cohousing in
the new state she is moving to, she quickly replied, "Oh no."  She said she
found consensus decision-making and all of the process in cohousing very
frustrating and emotionally exhausting. She loved the community spirit and
fun events and knowing all her neighbors, but it wasn't enough.

When I thought about it, I realized that of the over 25 households that
have moved away in our 20 years of existence, only 3 had subsequently moved
into cohousing.  "Wow," I thought. "That's only 12 percent." And I also
thought that, at this rate, we won't be doubling the number of cohousing
communities, for 40 years.

So I have a question for other cohousing communities:

How many of your member households who have moved have immediately, or
eventually, moved into cohousing in their new locations?  Perhaps your
experience has been different and I would be curious to find out.

Thanks for your responses, and even just posting the number is enough (you
don't have to write a treatise about it...unless you want to!)

Perhaps this topic has been covered, if so, just direct me to it.

Cohousingly yours,
Anna