Cohousing-L Mailing List: Work Requirements: LCD?

[DCS (cdm]

My question is sort of related to the recent thread about residents who
are unable to participate in community work paying to have it done.

We are looking at a capital improvements plan and its accompanying
budget, and we are struggling with balancing the basic needs of our
neighborhood (e.g., paying the water bill) with the desire for capital
projects (like a workshop) and the inability of some members to pay
higher dues.

We've discussed income sharing in the sense that the more affluent
members could pay into some account to cover the shortfalls of those
residents who can't pay an increased dues.

We've also discussed counting sweat equity towards payment of dues for
households that are comparatively economically disadvantaged, but then
what about the households that are able to pay but also put in
tremendous amounts of sweat equity? Are we valuing their input less? Are
we creating a class of less-affluent cohousing serfs?

I am tending to lean towards we just don't do anything that the whole
group can't afford (lowest common denominator.)

Any thoughts?

Christine Della Maggiora
Eno Commons Cohousing
Durham, NC
http://www.employees.org/~enoweb/