Cohousing-L Mailing List: Advice re an Owners Excessive Recycling Acquisitions

[Fred-List manager (fholson]

The message below was posted by Fred on behalf of a subscriber by
Fred Olson, Cohousing-L admin team.  cohousing-l-owner [at] cohousing.org
(Fred: 612-588-9532)

--------------------  FORWARDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS --------------------

Dear cohousers

 We would be interested in knowing how other cohousing villages have
handled the problem of a home owner storing an excess of "could be
recycled" materials in the  common-house and on common land.

 To date the owner has responded to requests that she remove the articles,
or at least confine them to her own property, by claiming she is being
bullied, singled out, harassed and/or treated unfairly. She, quite
correctly, points out that an occasional exception has been made for others
(for storing sports and hobby gear, for example). However, these exceptions
were for possessions which have a specific use, and specific storage
challenge, most of her collection can only be vaguely described as "could
be handy sometime in the future" and looks, to a less discerning eye, like
junk.

 Prior to this problem emerging we thought we had clear understandings
about use of common areas, but in response to this person's activities we
are now clarifying those 'understandings' with written protocols, hoping
this will reduce her feeling of being singled out.

 We are aware she receives professional help in managing some areas of her
life, and have no wish to upset her, but also believe that we do her no
favour if we allow the problem to go unchecked as it will magnify.

Any experience or suggestions are welcomed.