Cohousing-L Mailing List: AFFORDABILITY

[Ray & Lydia Ducharme (ducharm1]

QUESTIONS:  
- Have any of you been able to include some below market housing in your
development?  If so, how did you do it?  
- Did any of the projects that were "developer-driven" come in under market?

BACKGROUND:
We've heard that we can expect to pay 20% more than traditional housing for
the same house in a cohousing community because of the added cost of the
common house.

We are considering "developer-driven" cohousing based on Jim Leach's model.
If we don't, our alternative is to hire cohousing consultants on a "fee for
service" basis.  They get a fee and we use the "profit" (market value less
actual cost) to create affordable housing.  

In either case we would not use "amateurs".  In their last cohousing
project, our consultants (Community Dream Creators) were able to provide
5/19 units at 80% of market, 8/19 units received 20% return on the
"high-risk" money they invested, and the rest of the units were sold at
market, despite the inclusion of a common house.  At times we might seek
advice from the Cohousing Company and Chris Hansen.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

:-> Lydia   
Wholelife Housing
Calgary, Canada