Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing vs Communes / Affordable / Seattle?

[Kay Argyle (argyle]

> ... the subject of communes / co-housing
> came up in school today.  I couldn't really explain the difference - any
> comments out there?   > Irene Stupka

Nobody else has responded, so I will.  Despite my lack of qualification to
say anything whatsoever about communes.  Check the archives, other people
have addressed the question previously.

My impression (strictly my impression) is that communes tend to be
ideologically driven, and one of the ideologies frequently involves
income-sharing.  Cohousing isn't, and doesn't.

The elements of cohousing, as defined by Chuck Durrett & Katie McCamant, who
invented the word as a translation for the Danish term, are * common
facilities, * neighborhood design, * private dwellings, * participatory
process, & * resident management.  In other words, resident interaction is
encouraged but not mandatory, and the community is run by the people who
live there.  (Interestingly, common meals, which play such a large role in
so many communities, are not part of the definition.)

That's it.  No other ideology required.

That doesn't mean other ideologies don't get unpacked before the moving van
is out of the parking lot.  People who think interacting with neighbors is a
Good Thing and who believe in really, really, really local government (you
can't get much more local than fifty feet down the path) frequently share
other, usually liberal, baggage in common. Common facilities lend themselves
to other goals, from shared recycling bins, to a community-run business
(which can blur the line into income-sharing).

However, you'll find people attracted to cohousing for whom being
environmentally conscientious is tossing their aluminum cans in the dumpster
instead of out the car window.  People who agree with Heinlein that an armed
society is a polite society.  Who will show you the tattoo on their behind
before they'll show you their income tax return.  I even hear rumors about
cohousers who vote Republican  ;).

Occasionally people assume that because they hold values A and B, which mesh
neatly together, and other people hold value A, those people must also hold
value B -- it's a "community value."  And if those people don't hold value
B, they can't be very committed to value A.  This can be a real test of a
community's commitment to diversity.  If it's handled badly, you get
accusations that some neighbor "doesn't belong" in cohousing (been there).

-- Of course, a commitment to diversity is one of those extra baggage
things, that since for me it goes with cohousing like peanut butter with
jelly, I assume of course it does for everybody else too ....

Kay
argyle [at] mines.utah.edu
*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*

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