Re: a slush fund for temporary financial relief
From: Robert Heinich (robertenocommons.org)
Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2017 05:33:29 -0700 (PDT)
Nice entry.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 22, 2017, at 16:56, Shawn Barber via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
> cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> We at Eno Commons just addressed this issue with our dues increase 
> discussion. Our current model follows that people facing financial issues 
> personally contact our treasurer and make arrangements on their own to deal 
> with unforeseen shortfalls. With no major issues resulting from this practice.
> After our recent reserve study, we found that our current saving amount does 
> not meet our expected reserve needs. Thus the request to raise dues to fix 
> the problem. Some in our community are on tight budgets, so the topic of a 
> relief fund came up. Our solution was to create a fund that those who can and 
> want to could pay into; knowing that it was going to help a struggling 
> neighbor and keep us meeting the reserve funding goal. The structure of the 
> plan was to continue with the current model of requesting aid from the 
> treasurer, but the fund would be in place so that the person would not be 
> expected to pay shortfalls back. Each quarter the treasurer would report our 
> status and whether the fund was meeting the needs or not. Then after nine 
> months (three reports) we could re-evaluate the plan.
> Our community went with an alternative plan that did not include the 
> implementation of a financial relief fund. But we have it in our parking lot, 
> for possible need in the future.
> 
> I personally support the idea of those who can pay more than is asked are 
> allowed to balance out those who cannot, in order to keep the community 
> intact. Each community has to wrestle with values and issues, and determine 
> what works for the community.
> Shawn Svoboda-BarberEno CommonsDurham, NC
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