Cohousing-L Mailing List: re:cutting costs

[Buzz Burrell (72253.2101]

        There seems to be many ways of cutting costs in CoHo, but there also
seems to a conservatism or reluctance on the part of some people in the CoHo
movement to consider them.  For example, Rob mentioned in his recent reply on
this subject that there were maybe 40 groups he could think of that used sweat
equity, and yet this method is rarely recommended by professionals as a
possibility.

        At the "Burning Souls" gathering at the national conference last fall,
"affordability" was the most well-attended "Focus Group".  To start off the
discussion, a leader in the CoHo movement stated in essene (I am very much
paraphrasing from memory), "If you want affordability you have to be willing to
live in plain brown boxes (meaning cheap and plain little housing units).  It's
as simple as that".
        I was aghast.  There are many ways to make housing more affordable, and
for a leader in the movement to have such a narrow and limited view was
frightening.  After I said that, the group immediatly, excitedly and easily
brainstormed all the ways they could think of to achive this goal;  these ideas
totalled 20, and are summarized in the notes from the meeting, which may be
still available from the RMCHA. 
        Besides sweat equity, which started this message thread and is an 
obvious
possibility, here are a few more ways to make cohousing more affordable:
        1. Increase Common Space to Private Space ratio
                "Invest in your community not your house"
        2. Reduce your percieved needs;  build less
                Beware of greed
                "Live simply so others may simply live"
        3. Alternative Financing - for lower interest rate
                Internal financing
                Land banks, block grants, Community Land Trusts, etc
        4. Phase in the project over time
        5. Alternative building
                Sustainable design is more affordable in the long term
                Traditional/alternative materials and methods
        6. Partnerhship with city or others for below market property
        7. Form a buying club
        8. Form an income-producing business in the community
        9. Shared households within the overalll community
        10.Be ready to do it differently and keep in mind there will be always
other ways than the             above.

        Also, Rob recommended <the NEW directory for Intentional Communities>.
This is called the "Communities Directory", is published by the Fellowship for
Intentional Community, and is available by sending $20 (postpaid thru 4/30) to:
        Communities
        Route 4, Box 169-M
        Louisa, VA  23093 


Buzz Burrell
Boulder, CO
72253.2101 [at] compuserve.com