Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: IT ISN'T COHOUSING IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT CO

[Racheli&John (jnpalme]

** Reply to note from Kevin Wolf <kjwolf [at] dcn.davis.ca.us> Wed, 13 Jun 2001 
02:37:56 -0700
>From Racheli

Kevin wrote (in part) - and I've inserted some comments:
  
> But here is the rub.  In Muir Commons, one of the oldest cohousing 
> communities in the country, about 75% of its residents weren't there when 
> it began.  What happens when it becomes 100%.  Does this mean it no longer 
> is cohousing?

I think that if all 75 percent of the original community members got replaced
all at once (or within a very short period), the community would be
in trouble.  I imagine, though, the the change rate is slow, so that
new people aren't moving in in critical masses.  This allows the community
to keep its cohesiveness, even though some problems might arise.


> Chuck is right that the resident-driven design process creates 
> community.  But community can be created without this.

I'd say that it can be created without the process of designing, if it has 
something else (of the right kind) to replace it.
If I understand Chuck correctly, what he most objects to is the 
creation of places which look like cohousing - implying that if
they look the "right" way, a community will somehow spring to 
life.  It is *possible* that a community will be created, but IMO
it's not very likely.  

R.



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