Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: accessory apartments in cohousing

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 10/18/03 10:39 PM, "Shelly DeMeo" <shelldemeo [at] comcast.net> wrote:

> I would be interested in
> and very appreciative of any comments or observations from people who live
> in communities where accessory apartments are permitted. Are there issues of
> priority of access to facilities between renters and owners?  Parking
> problems? Tenant problems?  Tensions between those with accessory apartments
> and those without?

We don't have accessory apartments as such but we do have a large number of
roommates and a few rented units. Similar to Rob's experience there is no
difference between the participation of owners and renters. Some renters are
fully active and others are not, just as owners are. One problem with
roommates that would be solved with accessory apartments is that people who
need roommates to meet their mortgage payments would be more likely to rent
to long term residents. With roommates they tend to rent to someone who is
here only a few months or on certain days of the week or so busy with school
that they are never around on work days.

Some of us do have an issue with renters using facilities when they are not
members and do not participate in work. We have an associate membership for
non-owners that allows full privileges including the right to work (!) and
only limits their ability to vote to raise condo fees, but it is not
"enforced." Everyone has free rein of the place, including guests. But in
general, this is no more of a problem with renters than owners or guests. We
just haven't gotten real yet on the costs of having non-contributors wear
down equipment like computers and copy machines and general maintenance.

Our parking is limited to one space per unit. Additional cars park on the
street.

You should strictly enforce lease regulations and local landlord laws. Many
people are not aware of the rights of renters which are very strict in some
localities. Once you become a landlord you are bound by them -- getting rid
of even a non-paying renter is not easy. Roommates are not covered by these
laws but an accessory apartment resident would be, I assume. Otherwise the
interpersonal problems should be no greater than any other interpersonal
problems.

Accessory apartments would be a great boon to cohousing because it would
diversify the population and allow those who do not want or cannot afford to
own houses or apartments to live in cohousing. The whole age group of 18-30
year olds who are not ready or able to buy homes have no opportunity to
live in cohousing when there are no small apartments or rentals. This age
group wants to be on their own but cannot yet afford it or may not want the
burden of ownership. Yet the energy and spirit they bring to a community is
wonderful. I would have loved it if my children had been able to live in
this kind of community at that age -- all-be-it someone else's!

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

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