Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing-L Digest, Vol 226, Issue 22

[Jack & Carolyn Salmon (2salmon]

 For accounting, tax and legal purposes, cohousing communities would be treated 
like most homeowners’ associations; so any accounting firms that handles HOAs 
should be able to handle a coho community.   Same applies for legal help.  

When we developed Quimper Village we had an attorney who specialized in real 
estate and development law.  She had worked in the City planning department, 
which was particularly helpful.  There is a law firm in Seattle called 
Condominium Law Group, LLC ,  that we have consulted.  Names:  Ken Harer, 
Valerie Oman. (206) 633-1520.  They have a weekly zoom ’show’ on Wednesday 
mornings at 10:00 PST, when they answer questions of general interest.   This 
is not an endorsement, just information that may be helpful to you.  

Carolyn Salmon
Quimper Village




>   2. Accountant recommendations for Cohousing? (Jim Bob)
>   3. Re: Accountant recommendations for Cohousing? (Sharon Villines)
>   4. Lawyers [ was  Accountant recommendations for Cohousing?
>      (Sharon Villines)
>   ------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2022 16:52:33 +0000
> From: Jim Bob <jimjoebob456 [at] hotmail.com>
> To: "cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Accountant recommendations for Cohousing?
> Message-ID:
>       <MN0PR11MB60858BC8183B1A41C9A3C5FD99089 [at] 
> MN0PR11MB6085.namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
>       
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I queried the group before but didn't see any responses -- anyone have 
> accountants familiar with cohousing to recommend?  We are a starting 
> community in Cheney, WA and just looking for recommendations.  Thanks!
> 
> Justin Mager
> Cheney Cohousing
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2022 14:06:33 -0500
> From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
> To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Accountant recommendations for Cohousing?
> Message-ID: <14B47E83-A4FC-4A5B-BC6C-20493F7938C0 [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;     charset=utf-8
> 
>> On Nov 19, 2022, at 11:52 AM, Jim Bob <jimjoebob456 [at] hotmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I queried the group before but didn't see any responses -- anyone have 
>> accountants familiar with cohousing to recommend?  We are a starting 
>> community in Cheney, WA and just looking for recommendations.  Thanks!
> 
> Real estate law is so locally determined that you need someone local. They 
> don?t have to live right down the street but should be in your state and 
> usually in your county or closest urban area.
> 
> The category of law that cohousing falls into is ?common interest? law. They 
> would know the law related to commonly owned assets. So cohousing would be 
> commonly owned housing. Someone who knows condominium law might be a good 
> start. Or someone who handles cooperatives in your area.
> 
> One theory of finding the best person is to ask for recommendations from a 
> wide number of people and sources. When they all begin including the same 
> person(s) you know that is probably your best provider.
> 
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
> http://www.takomavillage.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2022 14:10:31 -0500
> From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
> To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Lawyers [ was  Accountant recommendations for
>       Cohousing?
> Message-ID: <C695606A-6FBE-4188-B485-683A811D884A [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;     charset=utf-8
> 
> You can see I had lawyers on my mind this morning. We are just beginning a 
> full review of our bylaws and engaging with our lawyer. All I could see when 
> reading this was ?lawyer.? But the same applies to accountants. Someone who 
> works with non-profits and associations would be your best bet but accounting 
> standards are more often not local except for any local tax issues.
> 
> Sharon.
> 
>> On Nov 19, 2022, at 2:06 PM, Sharon Villines via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l 
>> [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> On Nov 19, 2022, at 11:52 AM, Jim Bob <jimjoebob456 [at] hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I queried the group before but didn't see any responses -- anyone have 
>>> accountants familiar with cohousing to recommend?  We are a starting 
>>> community in Cheney, WA and just looking for recommendations.  Thanks!
>> 
>> Real estate law is so locally determined that you need someone local. They 
>> don?t have to live right down the street but should be in your state and 
>> usually in your county or closest urban area.
>> 
>> The category of law that cohousing falls into is ?common interest? law. They 
>> would know the law related to commonly owned assets. So cohousing would be 
>> commonly owned housing. Someone who knows condominium law might be a good 
>> start. Or someone who handles cooperatives in your area.
>> 
>> One theory of finding the best person is to ask for recommendations from a 
>> wide number of people and sources. When they all begin including the same 
>> person(s) you know that is probably your best provider.
>> 
>> Sharon
>> ----
>> Sharon Villines
>> Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
>> http://www.takomavillage.org
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
>> http://L.cohousing.org/info
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2022 14:47:11 -0500
> From: Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net>
> To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: [C-L]_ The escalating cost of construction
> Message-ID: <2E5DC24C-3F11-4A2E-911C-B901D3C8A26C [at] earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;     charset=utf-8
> 
> Hello all ?
> 
> For those of you who are pausing on your construction start date because of 
> the increasing cost of construction ? here is an article which might have 
> some insight into what the development/housing segment of our economy is 
> facing:
> 
> Tiny URL
> 
> https://tinyurl.com/mvj4hyb9
> 
> Standard URL
> 
> https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2022/08/25/construction-costs-increase-this-year.html?csrc=6378&cpncd=&utm_source=mk&utm_medium=re&utm_campaign=sb&utm_content=1-re-article1-p&mkt_tok=NjczLVVXWS0yMjkAAAGIMCi8B0oeGqd4ASEmO_I8GIlr8RrBlB4ffTdHx45IrhOs-_gLPaBmkzBy_x9ADBKE2uqjplOORzfcpJVr1d0H6eejyVnQo7nPaNgU0axRHNhzoNsf4l0
> 
> With cost escalation expected to rise by as much as 14.1% by the end of 2022 
> ? mercifully short time period now ? one possible solution that Trammel Crow, 
> a subsidiary of CBRE is instituting:
> 
> "I think it?s really important now more than ever to bring the general 
> contractor and subcontractors into the fold and design as early as possible, 
> so we?re really digesting all of the factors that impact the construction, 
> and help us think about the design and what we?re proposing and what we?re 
> presenting for our project, in order to mitigate the issues we see,? 
> (Nancy)Moses continued.
> 
> CBRE expects construction increases of 4.3% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024.  
> 
> This document may be behind a paywall.  If you are unable to open it let me 
> know ? will try to summarize more of the article.
> 
> Best ?
> 
> Ann Zabaldo
> Takoma Village Cohousing
> Washington, DC
> Ex. Dir. & Mbr. Board of Directors
> Mid Atlantic Cohousing
> Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
> Falls Church, VA
> 202.546.4654
> zabaldo [at] earthlink.net
> 
> I?ve been watching my weight...
> It?s still there.
> 
> NOTE:  Please use zabaldo [at] earthlink.net for email.
> 
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> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2022 15:45:46 -0500
> From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
> To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Building Cost Index
> Message-ID: <F9DF5687-3C4B-472B-9FDE-9E391B463E09 [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;     charset=utf-8
> 
> In addition to the article Ann just mentioned is the Turner Turner Building 
> Cost Index. It was started and is kept by a huge international construction 
> company that needs it for its own projects and shares it with the world. It 
> predicts the next quarter and also includes decades historical figures. Maybe 
> useful for discussing prices.
> 
>> Turner has prepared the construction cost forecast for more than 80 years. 
>> Used widely by the construction industry and Federal and State governments, 
>> the building costs and price trends tracked by The Turner Building Cost 
>> Index may or may not reflect regional conditions in any given quarter. The 
>> Cost Index is determined by several factors considered on a nationwide 
>> basis, including labor rates and productivity, material prices and the 
>> competitive condition of the marketplace. This index does not necessarily 
>> conform to other published indices because others do not generally take all 
>> of these factors into account. 
> 
> https://www.turnerconstruction.com/cost-index
> 
> One reason I think it would be more trustworthy than an index by a 
> (self-serving trade association or not quite with it government agency) is 
> that it is used by the company itself in their own bidding process. If it 
> were wrong, they would be shooting themselves in the foot.
> 
> For reserve studies, the construction cost index is more relevant for some 
> parts than the inflation rate. Construction is a unique category of goods and 
> labor that is affected by technology, skilled worker availability, and 
> resources depletion.
> 
> Sharon
> ??
> Sharon Villines
> Strong Neighborhoods
> https://www.strongneighborhoods.info/
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 7
> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2022 14:03:09 -0800
> From: Susan HEDGPETH <hedgpeth [at] berkeley.edu>
> To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Subject: [C-L]_ who does these tasks?
> Message-ID:
>       <CA+7X=N1kmmo-39VN13q5JjsAfZPWamAchTE=uw5cA7X8O1My5w [at] 
> mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> Here at Pleasant Hill Cohousing we have one person who does most of the
> bookkeeping tasks using QuickBooks, as well as many other tasks that are
> not really bookkeeping, such as:
> 
> -monitor our business email account and handle or route emails
> -check our mailbox and distribute mail as needed
> -maintain our computer and printer (e.g. Window updates)
> -buy supplies (printer cartridges, checks, deposit slips, paper, envelopes,
> stamps, etc)
> -assist community members who need a reimbursement or have a vendor invoice
> to be paid (i.e., getting the right information together so it can be
> approved by the Treasurer)
> -each year, work with our bank and the new officers to set them up to sign
> checks
> -each year, set up new files (folders and labels), archive/move the old.
> -every other year, prepare and submit forms to Secty of State
> 
> It's really too big of a job for one person to do that plus bookkeeping, so
> we are thinking about splitting it up and wondering how other communities
> handle these tasks.
> 
> Thanks for any info/advice.
> 
> Susan
> Pleasant Hill Cohousing
> Pleasant Hill, CA  (SF Bay Area)
> http://phch.org
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Digest Footer
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
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> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of Cohousing-L Digest, Vol 226, Issue 22
> ********************************************