Re: Marketing to Millennials and families
From: Ann Zabaldo (zabaldoearthlink.net)
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2016 07:43:17 -0800 (PST)
Emilie —

I was answering Kat’s questions about cohousing that 1) families and 
Millennials could afford and 2) that is also a small footprint.

If the issue is affordability then looking for options other than single family 
homeownership is one answer.

If you are a built community with large homes as Kat was inferring is the case 
at Stone Curves,  these homes could be retrofitted to accommodate two or more 
“households” w/ the result that the foot print for each household is smaller 
than for a single household occupying the whole house.  This is the principle 
(principal?)  at work in group housing.  To undertake this initiative means a 
lot of marketing and outreach.

Let me be very clear:  TVC is NOT a low cost affordable alternative any more.  
When we moved in 70% of the homes qualified for affordability based on the 
price of the home.  We are now only affordable to those who can afford to buy 
here!  We are strictly market-rate housing and the market is totally bizarre in 
DC. I think Boulder suffers from the same popularity.

However, I can see that prospective buyers could combine resources to purchase 
one of the larger units here and share the house keeping in mind that large 
here is 1540 s/f.  An example of this would be a “Golden Girls” home — two or 
more single women own a home together defraying expenses while gaining equity.  
(Guys can do this, too!)  And to encourage this, our Resale and Rental Pod 
needs to go on a massive education and information campaign to alert people to 
this possibility.  We’re not quite there yet but if the community decides we 
want more diversity in income and household size we could undertake this 
initiative.

Have I made this explanation better or worse?

:-)



Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church, VA
202.546.4654

My password is the last 5 digits of Pi …


> On Feb 3, 2016, at 9:29 AM, Emilie Parker <emilie.v.parker [at] gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> 
> On Wed, Feb 3, 2016 at 7:05 AM, Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net> 
> wrote:
> 
>> Whether for millennials, families, boomers etc there is a market for more
>> affordable cohousing.
>> 
> 
> ​We are a group of 12 and are still looking for our property.
> 
> Are you saying the answer for getting more families and Millennials is
> basically more affordable options, Ann?​  Your description of shared
> housing sounds great since you have an extensive marketing program to reach
> people and a resale program to introduce it.
> 
> It sounds like you have to have a 3 legged program for attracting families
> and millennials -- low cost, marketing and a resale program.  Is including
> community amenities for kids -- play areas, etc part of the strategy?
> 
> Emilie Parker
> Boulder/Denver Artists Cohousing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----------------
> Emilie Parker
> emilie.v.parker [at] gmail.com
> 303-317-4558 main
> 240-350-8533 cell
> My website: www.emilieparker.com
> Artists Cohousing website: www.artistscohousing.com
> Art Cohousing Meetup:  www.meetup.com/artists-housing-community
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