Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Affordable Cohousing

[David Hornick (davidhornickmd]

I realize that everyone appreciates that 'affordability' relates to more
than the cost of materials, architectural services and labor, but I thought
I'd make a few explicit statements regarding the matter.

Cost of Construction:  Depends greatly upon location.  A home that must be
able to provide a comfortable living environment in the climatic extremes of
the northern US, must cost much more than a home built in  a more temperate
climate such as San Diego where insulation, heating and cooling systems and
landscaping elements are vastly different.    Cohousing that is built in
certain parts of Mexico, requires no insulation and no (or minimal) systems
for heating and cooling.  These areas have year-round temperatures ranging
between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.  Also, labor costs are so much lower
in Mexico that the finished cost of a typical home is about $50 per square
foot (without sweat equity).

Cost of Living:  Depends upon cost for food and energy, taxes, insurance,
healthcare  and, as people age and become functionally and cognitively
frail, the cost of hands-on care.

Energy costs:  In Oaxaca, Mexico, there are over 300 days per year with
sunshine (less than 60 cloudy days per year) and there is little variation
in the amount of daylight throughout the year (12-13 hours per day).
Solar-generated electricity makes a great deal of sense and markedly reduces
the cost of living compared to northern climates where larger, much more
costly solar systems must be deployed for similar energy generation.

Food costs:  In Oaxaca, Mexico,  food costs in the local supermarket and
numerous farmer's markets are about half those in the United States. Most
food is grown locally.

Personal care:  Typically, in the the US this care costs about $20 per hour
(over $3000 per week for 24 hour care in a person's home).  In Mexico, the
same care can be provided for $300 per week.

Housekeeping and yardwork / gardening assistance:  The usual rate of pay is
about $$2.50 to $3.00 per hour.

Property taxes:  Usually substantially less that $500 per year for a 2000
square foot home.

Insurance:  Less than half the cost of the US.

Healthcare:  National health insurance for expatriots is less than $1500 per
year.

The cost of a 1000 square foot home built in Oaxaca Mexico costs about
$50,000 to $100,000 (depending upon the cost for furnishings).  Average
daily cost of living is about $20 per day.

These figures are based upon my best efforts to collect information talking
with knowledgeable North Americans living in Mexico (estimated to be more
than 1 million Americans, alone).

Crime in Mexico (because I know the subject will come up)?  Probably a lot
less than crime in many US and Canadian cities  (see article:
http://mexicommunity.com/crime.html)

David Hornick
Mexicommunity Intentional Community Project

http://mexicommunity.com/