Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Application Form

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> From: Cohousing-L on behalf of Linda Gryczan <lindagryczan [at] gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2023 2:29 AM
> To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Application Form
> 
> We are starting a pocket neighborhood and would like to see any application 
> forms you have for your cohousing community.
> Either send it to my email or post here.

Sorry, my same boring reminder: Think about what you want this form to do — 
“application” connotes a request for approval. Do you want people to approach 
you with a feeling that they must ask for approval? That they might be rejected?

An important principle of cohousing is welcoming diversity and welcoming 
everyone who understands and is desirous of building and participating in a 
community. 

Better might be a page of information about what you are planning to do and a 
form to ask for more information or instructions to add yourself to an email 
list or attend a meeting. I don’t think it is a good practice to ask people to 
write statements about their experience living in communities. For one thing, 
it raises the issue of what counts as “community.” And it raises issues about 
writing ability — how to explain this or that. To some people these are 
straightforward 3 word answers but to others they aren’t. Better to have a talk 
with new people and find out who they are in their context.




Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org