Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Much Ado

[Judy Baxter (BAXTER]

Dear Liz-
Well , you certainly stirred the pot.

I have neither time nor hands to type to write at length - but a couple of
comments  -

<<What does it say about a popular movement when nearly all of those with
moderate incomes are excluded? When a 720 square foot unit sells for a
quarter of a million dollars, it says to me that it ain't no popular
movement. It's a fashion trend. As much as I love my community, I think we
are nearly alone in our commitment to something besides our own pocketbooks.
Cohousing has become an excellent investment strategy, but it's not what I
had hoped it would be by now. I had hoped that once it was more accepted in
mainstream society, it would be easier for people to follow their ideals,
but it has simply become faster to build, at the expense of everything else
worthy about the idea.
>>
I share your concern about affordability - we are very mixed income, but we did
that by having some very very small, coop apts, several with less than ideal
designs.  And, when we found the property (1991) we felt we could not handle
any more constraints.  I think that was true. And we get lot of interest in
these small homes, but so far, low turnover.  One *may* be available in a year
or two - i am still amazed at how my neighbor has made it work for this long,
with her adult dependant son.

I heard recently that our inner ring suburb was discussing Cohousing as part of
a discussion of affordable housing  - my only concern with that is based on the
story from Aspen (old posts, title might have included word failure?)
- in my view, cohousing  works if residents *want* the
community aspects and are willing to put in time and energy - if they are jjust 
interested in affordable housing, then why spend the extra $ on common house,
etc?  I hate to say it, but more *community* it not always high on people's
lists. 

My other thought has to do with the book I'm reading - called Beliving
Cassandra, an Optimist Looks at a Pessimist's World, by Alan AtKisson.  It is a
wonderful book about Sustainability, change agents, diffusion of innovation,
and much more.  And it is inspiring (me, at least).  Our innovation is not
diffusing in the way we may have hoped, but it hasn't died out.  And it is
worth it to me to start thinking about how that relates to what Alan A says.

It hurts to think that I couldn't afford to live in many of the other  coho
communities, but i suspect there is a wider range than may appear from posts to
this list .

Oh well, I*do* think this list is useful, and I confess I'm happy to find
threads I can skip - too much info glut!

Judy


Judy Baxter, Monterey Cohousing Community,(MoCoCo) Twin Cities Area, Mpls.,MN

Now planning a Nov. 4 Celebration of 10 years of Cohousing in the Twin Cities
4-6 pm, tours, slide show, entertainment, update on Cohousing in the area,
Questions and Answers.  Option to stay for Takeout Dinner (at cost) and for 7-9
pm. "Sharing" event.  See our website.

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-- e-mail:      baxter [at] epi.umn.edu
15 homes - 7 new townhomes plus 
        8 coop apartments       in the Mansion (a rehab Georgian building)
(built as a retirement home in 1924 -) which also serves as our Common House
coops moved in 1993, townhomes in 1996
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One 3 BR  townhome may be for sale in spring
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 Voice Mail for Monterey Cohousing - 952-930-7554
 web page: http://www.jimn.org/mococo/