Cohousing-L Mailing List: Bayview Cohousing in Second Life

[Zev Paiss (zpaiss]

Dear Cohousers,

With Regard to Bayview Cohousing in Second Life Maggy Dutton Asked  
the following:

Why is it a rental project? Cohousing traditionally has meant that a  
group comes together first and
designs their life together usually resulting in ownership.  Are you  
including future residents in your planning and development process?  
I am particularly interested in what model of governance will be used.

Zev Paiss (aka WilliamThewise Goodman) says:

Being a virtual world some things in Second Life are of necessity  
different that the non-digital world. This eco-village is being  
created to showcase RL working examples of how a community of this  
kind could look and work... to a degree.

Since there are some Danish cohousing communities that are all rental  
I felt I was still falling with the bounds of reality by making  
Bayview Cohousing all rental. In addition, the complications of  
making part of Etopia Island available for sale is not very workable  
under the master plan for the eco-village.  I would however be happy  
to make a very long term lease (up to one year) if someone wanted to  
commit to that long of a stay.

The model of governance will emerge form the group of future  
residence.  My expectation id that the group will be far more diverse  
that a typical cohousing community with virtual residence fro around  
the globe so the challenges of decision-making may be quite different  
than and typical cohousing community. In addition the number of  
decisions require to keep the place up are almost nonexistent and  
will possible be focused on the uses for the common house.  I wold  
like to give priority to the cohousers for use of the space.

Zev

Zev Paiss
Abraham Paiss & Associates
Building Sustainable Communities Since 1992
1460 Quince Ave. #102
Boulder, CO 80304
303-413-8066
www.AbrahamPaiss.com