Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Managing the Common House

[Saoirse (saoirse03]

When we moved in, we often said to one another that the Common House  
was an extension of our living rooms. It's not a club house or a  
comm'ty center. So we do make agreements about guidelines and  
expectations. We have a reservation form for use of the Common House  
and a calendar for signing up. We also have a reservation form for  
the guest rooms, and a fee for "cleaning" if the guest or sponsor  
does not do that on their own.

And I think we have varying views of the Common House. But for me,  
living in a small house, I was assured that I didn't need more space  
because the Common House would be there for me ... I didn't need to  
have a guest room in my house, because there would be one in the  
Common House. I didn't need storage for my garden supplies and tools,  
because there would be common storage. So I can live in a smaller  
space due to the access I have to shared space.

And I tend to treat the Common House with more care than I do my own  
house ...


Saoirse

Harmony Village Cohousing
http://www.harmonyvillage.org