Re: Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Fred H Olson (fholsoncohousing.org) | |
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 16:57:13 -0700 (MST) |
This is a reply to the thread Tom Hammer started with a great post to cohousing-L. I don't repeat it here but you can read it at: http://csf.colorado.edu/cohousing/2003/msg02148.html Tom, I think your message is one of the most important in topic and content on cohousing-L - maybe ever. Thank you, thank you. (I say this as a cohousing enthusiast and as cohousing-L manager.) And your timing is great. I hope everyone read the reply from the new Coho/US president Carol Braford (who's in St Louis - not exactly a hotbed of cohousing tho they are doing amazingly well from my limited perspective). See http://csf.colorado.edu/cohousing/2003/msg02163.html As I understand the changes going on with Coho/US, tho I suspect motivated by finances - going back to a more volunteer organization - it is also (I think / hope) becoming more of an "open" organization. That is more devoted to promoting the idea of cohousing to all who are interested and less of an organization serving the already committed. Obviously it needs to do the latter also but I think an outward focused organization does serve the already comitted. (Carol, sorry if this discussion steals a bit of your thunder for future announcements but I think we'll just build toward a greater whole. If I've got it wrong, let me know. ) A couple of specific responses to Tom. As one who lives in "fly over" land (Minnesota) I caution you on language. I suspect "wasteland" is a bit of rhetorical overkill, tho we have only one cohousing community in Minnesota, it is hardly a wasteland. You are right (IMHO) that there are many more people who would like to live in cohousing than have managed to do so. Many of us are building community where we live. I urge discretion in the use of devisive language. Your suggestion of itinerant cohousing organizers (my interpretation) is interesting. There have been a number of people who have traveled between cohousing communities tho most have been observing but they have shared their knowledge some. There is also a tradition of using the energy of typically younger, less rooted people to organize for good causes (the Welstone campaigns come to mind for example in return for low wages / stipends. I suspect that like Maggie, there lots of people who would like to do something like this. And some of them might be in a position and willing to do so for not a lot more than room, board and expenses. Anyone who does this should get permanent lavish recognition on www.cohousing.org. And after a year or so at this they can become well paid consultants or write a book (or both). An expanding movement will need them. If we share our skills and resources, we can make this happen. I'd be willing to find a bed and cook extra servings for an energetic, idealistic community builder. How about calling it the Cohousing peace corp? While having the established communities (and the larger cohousing movement) support cohousing organizing - particularly initial organizing - is reasonable, I dont think large amounts of money are likely to be available for this but certainly some. But maybe the low budget cohousing peace corp approach is feasible. The larger movement could organize finding volunteers, hosts, materials - particularly those that have are economics of scale (such as the signs you suggest **) and which local folks are less well positioned to do. Maybe some sort of revolving fund could be established - communites draw on it til they are established and pay back to it when they are more established. Another thing that would help is if we could figure out how to make cohousing cheaper (See comments in Timeday discussion recently). If cohousing were less expensive it would free up time and resources to organize. If we could figure out how to do "retrofit cohousing" better it could be cheaper. Retrofit Cohousing is developed in existing housing by changing the way the occupants of that housing relate - usually with new occupants moving in to participate in the community. Retrofiting the social relations and not necessarily the structures. See "retrofit cohousing" at http://www.cohousing.org/fholson ** comments on signs. I think every cohousing sign, bumper sticker, ad etc should have "www.cohousing.org" on them. In turn www.cohousing.org should have links to every other cohousing resource out there (it already has the database and all it's links which is invaluable.) In Minnesota "yard signs" for electoral, anti war, etc etc causes are widely used. Typically they are 2' by 4' corrugated plastic (like carboard only plastic). Cohousing yard signs would be great. Tho mass production of them would be good, maybe words printed on something that could be glued to recycled signs would be workable an a lot cheaper. Fred -- Fred H. Olson Minneapolis,MN 55411 (near north Mpls) fholson [at] cohousing.org 612-588-9532 (7am-10pm Cent time) List manager of Cohousing-L & Nbhd-tc Ham radio:WB0YQM http://www.cohousing.org/fholson _______________________________________________ Cohousing-L mailing list Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org Unsubscribe and other info: http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L
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Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Tom Hammer, November 4 2003
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C-L]_Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Maggie Dutton, November 5 2003
- Re: C-L]_Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Ron Skene, November 5 2003
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Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Tom Hammer, November 4 2003
- Re: Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Fred H Olson, November 5 2003
- Re: Young researches (was supporting forming communities) Kristin Becker, November 11 2003
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C-L]_Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Maggie Dutton, November 5 2003
- Re: Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Bob Morrison, November 5 2003
- Re: Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Fred H Olson, November 9 2003
- Re: Re: Supporting forming communities & national policies/structures Fred H Olson, November 9 2003
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