Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: managing the common house

[Mary English (Mary.English]

Different ways to manage the common house.  What kinds of
management policies are practiced in cohousing land?
My community manages the common house similar to how one would
manage one's home. Norm Gauss

1. The heating and cooling system is fully adjustable to any
individual's preference.
 
Our heating and cooling is turn down to lowest setting when not in use.  The 
night check person double checks this in the evening.  (In our climate the bill 
would be astronomical if left up)

2. The doors are left open all day and a few hours after dark.
 
In our common house it is unlocked only during group fuctions. Individuals 
going in the common house vary. Most women lock the door behind them after they 
go in. Some of the guys do not. I would never dream of walking into a dark 
unlocked common house at night.  Folks wanted it open to start and changed 
their minds fast after finding strangers in there.  (In my house doors are 
locked at all times.) A rotating posion is assigned every month to verify all 
doors are locked and windows closed. 

3. Kids are allowed to use the common house unsupervised.
 
Children are in the common house only with a responsible adult to supervise. 
They do not have a key to the workshop or commonhouse.

4. Any food in the refrigerator is free for the taking.
 
Folks put their name on their own food for parties or mark it if purchased for 
a scheduled common meal. We have had folks very upset when alcohol disappeared 
after a reception, but not a usual occurance here.

5. We have two guest rooms and charge nothing to guests.  At
present we have a temporary resident who is a professional
musician  on an engagement lasting more than a week.
 
Our community members each have free use of the common house for a total of 14 
days each year for guests. Others like out of state coho visitors make a 
suggested donation.

6. We have frequent public meetings and private social events and
charge nothing to the sponsors.
 
The sponsor of private events pays a fee for supplies like toilet paper, paper 
towels, etc., and is responsible for cleaning after. Our public meetings, like 
political events, etc ,we tend to consider public service and do not charge for.

Is this style of management typical of cohousing communities?
 
Every community seems to make their own rules.




Comment by another 
Norm...you must be a barrel of fun to live with!!
 
Is sarcasm really necessary here? If I had to deal with the kinds of things he 
has described, I would be out of his community so fast folks would have 
whiplash. Wait until the first women is attacked in the unlocked common house, 
or a kid does a fortune in damage to something and see how fast the rules get 
changed.
Mary English