Re: retrofitting an existing neighborhood
From: Fred H Olson (fholsoncohousing.org)
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 05:43:29 -0800 (PST)
On Mon, 10 Dec 2007  sandra wolf wrote:

> Maybe you have not heard of N Street Cohousing in Davis, California.
> This was one of the first retrofitted cohousing neighborhoods. Check out
> http://www.nstreetcousing.org

N Street is also one of my favorite cohousing communities (We camped in
there for a few days in 1996).  It is interesting that Tricia used
the term "retrofitting" apparently independent of the use of that term
for
developing cohousing in existing cohousing with little or no
reconstruction.  See my page http://mn.cohousing.org/retrofit

However note that N Street and virtually all other cohousing develops by
people who want to participate MOVING to where a community is being
developed.  That is the chances of existing residents being committed to
the cohousing style of relationships is very small and therefore the
chance of developing anything that really resembles cohousing with
existing residents in existing houses is very unlikely to happen, IMHO.
"Retrofit cohousing" depends on a turnover of residents and the recruiting
of cohousing oriented folks to move in as houses become available.

This does not mean organizing with cohousing-like goals with existing
residents in existing houses is futile.  It just means that a realistic
expectation of possible accomplishments needs to be scaled back and
accepted.  Any attempt to develop closer relationships between neighbors
should be encouraged.

Some of the things we've done lately (the last week or so) on my block
include calling people who's cars were still in front of their houses on
snow plowing days (early in morning before plowing) to try to avoid costly
towing.  Helping each other clear sidewalks, make household repairs, loan
back keys to a neighbor whose son dropped hers in the snow, let a neighbor
bake already risen bread when her oven borke unexpectedly. And on and on.

Fred in Minneapolis where we have a love / hate relationship with our
snow.

--
Fred H. Olson  Minneapolis,MN 55411  USA        (near north Mpls)
Communications for Justice -- Free, superior listserv's w/o ads:
http://justcomm.org      My Link Pg: http://fholson.cohousing.org
612-588-9532 (7am-10pm CST/CDT)   Email: fholson at cohousing.org


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