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

[Fred H Olson (fholson]

Laura Fitch <lfitch [at] krausfitch.com>
is the author of the message below. 
It was posted by Fred the Cohousing-L list manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org> 
because the message included HTML ;      PLEASE do not post HTML, see
   http://csf.colorado.edu/cohousing/2001/msg01672.html  and
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I was skeptical of rentals within existing units when we first moved 
in.  There are now 5 basement level apartments in our community of 32 
units.  At least 50 % of the tenants have been very active in our community 
and this has been such a good thing that I have completely reversed my 
position.  A few have been really losers (not so much as a hello in 
passing), and a number just disinterested but not a problem.  The good ones 
have brought new energy and younger faces into the community.  Some have 
even led the summer gardening and composting efforts.  Others have been 
babysitters!

Laura
Laura E. Fitch, AIA
Kraus-Fitch Architects, Inc.
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA  o1002

413-549-5799
413-549-7918 (fax)

<http://www.krausfitch.com/>krausfitch.com

At 10:39 PM 10/18/03, you wrote:

>Our group is contemplating whether to allow accessory apartments, or
>apartments within units (such as in walkout basements).  The town zoning
>ordinances permit these as long as the unit remains owner occupied, and the
>in-house apartment complies with certain restrictions on space, number of
>persons, etc.   Our current bylaws prohibit subdividing units into separate
>rental spaces, although house-sharing arrangements, rentals of entire units,
>or renting to "roomers" as long as the unit is not divided is permitted.  In
>order to decide whether we should amend our bylaws, 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?  Any input, pro or con,  would be welcome.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Ray DeMeo

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