Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Shared values cohousing

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

>  A more fundamental characteristic of cohousing is
> that the residents decide how their community is organized, designed and
> operated.  I see no threat from 'shared values cohousing" just as I see
> other forms of intentional community as desireable alternative that
> appeal to some people.

The interesting question here is the assumption that if people are all
Jewish or Buddhist or bicyclists that they are not diverse.

When Takoma Village was forming one family left because they wanted all
members to declare the property a "drug-free zone". There was no interest in
making any proclamations about personal space so they left.

But there was a lot of interest in using green construction materials and
systems.  Those people stayed.

Each community has some values that are shared to the exclusion of others. I
would propose that what people are concerned about is cohousing becoming
associated with "restricted communities" where one's genealogy is inspected
or you have to be recommended by 5 members (meaning already on the inside).

Actually, I would love to see the definition of Jewish that a group would
use. I grew up in the Midwest in small towns where I was not aware of Jewish
culture and just figuring out who considers themselves to be Jewish and who
doesn't is still a complex task for me. And this is after 30 years of living
on the East Coast, marrying a Jewish man, spending Christmas with Jewish
friends, and belonging to a Unitarian Church.

Cohousing is a great model for building communities and each one defines
their own values when they choose the facilities for the commonhouse. One
has an exercise room, one has a chapel, one has a nursery for infants of
single mothers. People will cluster because they share those values or want
to support those who need.

We have people who could care less about healthy food or energy efficiency
or recycling. So I'm not sure that even when a community professes certain
interests, that that means it will be a restricted community.

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org


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