Re: Affordable co-housing? | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Ann Zabaldo (zabaldoearthlink.net) | |
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2002 01:43:21 -0600 (MDT) |
Just FYI -- our 650 sq. ft homes here in Takoma Village (Washington DC) cost $92,000 on the "early bird special." About $95K for later arrivals. It's a one bedroom w/ a little den. Some of them have decks. They were in HOT demand. It's actually a nice size for a single person. In Denmark, some places we visited were smaller than this w/ multiple people living in them. In the US, we're just used to so much space. And stuff to fill it. If well designed a space this size could be quite nice. BTW -- "Affordable" in DC where the average income is $100k is about $72k for a family of four. (I think I remember this correctly.) Ann Zabaldo Takoma Village Cohousing Washington, DC. -- America's Hometown! zabaldo [at] earthlink.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maggi Rohde" <maggi [at] intranet.org> To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 11:24 PM Subject: Re: [C-L]_Affordable co-housing? > Jennifer -- "affordable" is a difficult concept to market. For one > thing, it has social implications -- and for another, it seems to > mean something specific in numbers in regards to income and median > housing price. So we try to stay away from it. > > Our community will be the third of three in a 20 acre parcel of > land. Our 42- to 46 units (yes, really) added to Sunward's 37 and > Great Oak's 37 will make a truly astounding multi-community village. > Perhaps because of the timing, or the existing communities, or > something else I can't fathom, we are attracting mostly single > folks. Some, like me, make less than $40k a year. In a housing > market like Ann Arbor, where you can't buy a crummy house for under > $200k, the concept "affordable" means we are aiming at several small > 1-bedroom units for about $100k. > > Now, that's small. Small means small. 650-750sqft, no greater. > Many people, even singles, may decide that they can't live in a > space that small.. but I say affordable housing has to compromise in > some way. Either we give up quality, or give up space. I prefer > the latter. > > And, even a $100k home requires a down payment of $10-$20k, which > for many families seems next to impossible. I agree with Rob's > comment that cohousing in the U.S. is pretty much limited to those > who can afford (through frugal living or making money) to own a > home. > > -<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>- > Maggi Rohde, Library/Media Specialist > Allen Elementary School, Ann Arbor, MI > maggi [at] intranet.org > -<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>- > "So much to find out about; so much > to look forward to! I'm quite > dizzy with anticipation! ... Or > is it the wind?" > - the whale, "Restaurant at > the End of the Universe" > -<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>- > > _______________________________________________ > Cohousing-L mailing list > Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org Unsubscribe and other info: > http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/cohousing-l _______________________________________________ Cohousing-L mailing list Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org Unsubscribe and other info: http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/cohousing-l
- RE: Affordable co-housing?, (continued)
- RE: Affordable co-housing? Kate Nichols, October 5 2002
- RE: Affordable co-housing? Rob Sandelin, October 3 2002
- RE: Affordable co-housing? Casey Morrigan, October 4 2002
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Re: Affordable co-housing? Maggi Rohde, October 7 2002
- Re: Affordable co-housing? Ann Zabaldo, October 9 2002
- Re: Affordable co-housing? Maggi Rohde, October 9 2002
- Re: Affordable co-housing? Small Units Sharon Villines, October 9 2002
- Re: Affordable co-housing? Small Units Sharon Villines, October 9 2002
- Re: Affordable co-housing? Small Units Elizabeth Stevenson, October 9 2002
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