Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: a slush fund for temporary financial relief

[Alan O'Hashi (adoecos]

Hello Rodney - Silver Sage Village has a pool of money similar to what you're 
talking about, but it's to annually lower HOA fees. I live in an 'affordable' 
home and the recipient of those funds.
Here, the HOA dues are quite high. (I'm looking at the formulae to figure out 
who's paying what).
At the end of the year, before dues reassessments, a call is made to the 
community for voluntary donations to pay down some of our dues. Donations are 
anonymous, I'm pretty sure some give more than others and some don't give at 
all. I perceive that those who pay into the pool, do so not out of sense of 
community, but as an obligation.

The problem, to me is, isn't the money, it's the coddling that further puts the 
affordable home owners in a box. Which leads me to your question.

My suggestion is that you have a frank community discussion about it. Handing 
out money to people creates a set of issues around:- What is a financial crisis 
for one person isn't for another?- Why do some people get approved and others 
don't (the "teacher's pet" syndrome)- There may be resentment created.
- The process puts people "out there" to discuss their "problem" either with a 
committee or the community.- I don't know about your community, but there tend 
to be "takers" who live among us and if there's money to be taken, watch out. 
(I do some work for a volunteer crisis fund and if you want to know more about 
that, I'll talk to you off the list).

When I was death-bed sick at the end of 2013, one day there was an envelope of 
cash in the mail box that defrayed some of the out-of-pocket costs incurred by 
my partner / primary caregiver who had a long commute to the hospital over a 
couple months.
A "slush fund" may make assistance a one-stop shop, but if a person or family 
is in distress, the community will rise to the occasion - no coddling necessary.

Thxalan o.

Alan O'Hashi - ECOS
EnviroCultural Organization Systems
 http://www.alanohashi.com/ecos
Colorado 303-910-5782
Wyoming 307-274-1910
Nebraska 402-327-1652