Re: Associate Membership
From: Lynn Nadeau / Maraiah (welcomeolympus.net)
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:22:02 -0800 (PST)
RoseWind Cohousing in Port Townsend WA is a long-built community. We are neither coop nor condo nor LLC, but a "miscellaneous mutual benefit nonprofit corporation" (for reasons long lost in history), with a homeowners association. Whoever owns the deed to a unit is by definition a Member. Our quorum count is based upon households represented, but consensus is by individuals. Spouses may (and often do) differ considerably in their opinions.

Only Members (ie owners) participate in decision making. Renters are welcome, on a voluntary basis, to join in the social life of the community, but we've not had any who even expressed an interest in attending meetings or working on committees. There is no participation or work requirement for anyone. Members are "expected" to participate in the work of the group, but only "expected."

Several friends or relatives of members are regulars at meals and social occasions, but they have no obligations or rights. At one point, a neighbor was proposed for an official Associate sort of membership, but the group was not enthusiastic to allow decision making by such a person, who did not have the financial stake in our project that owners have. Folks were rather protective of our rights to decide our assessments, what capital projects to fund, any changes in the common lands, and so forth. The proposal was withdrawn (and the individual re-married and we never saw him here).

Our assessments are based on ownership, thus households. No difference based on house size or population. We do have a 20% discount available on our annual assessment, based on self-defined financial hardship. Several households avail themselves of this.

Maraiah Lynn Nadeau
www.rosewind.org

Where we have two resale homes available, one small, one larger.

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