Cohousing-L Mailing List: Getting Work Done: Senior cohousing, cleaning in a multi-family building.

[Barbara Smith (brownsmith82]

Getting the Work Done:  Senior Cohousing with some lower income residents need 
to get the cleaning done in a multi-unit building. With hall rugs.

Here’s the problem: Hager Homestead, an over 55 cohousing in Littleton, MA is 
finally becoming occupied. Residents moved into the multi-family building a 
month ago and are just facing the fact that we have 3 floors of hall rugs to 
vacuum, hall baseboards to clean and windows to wash.  We are, in addition, a 
community where a significant % of households have lower incomes, but along a 
sliding scale of incomes. That is, units with a lower purchase price and lower 
monthly fees. (It’s Massachusetts, so it’s complicated.) A few units will be 
occupied by fully “low income” residents. In short, ours is a very diverse 
community: we have income issues, health issues and a few members have physical 
issues that prevent them from doing some kinds of work, like vacuuming and 
getting down on their knees to scrub walls. And some are still happily employed 
and healthy. 

Most of the people in my building would prefer NOT to do the 
vacuuming/baseboard cleaning and I have been getting quotes from professional 
cleaners. Of course, economically challenged residents worry about the cost. 
Some people (fewer) want to do the work themselves. 

Given the complexities, should the cleaning cost be part of the monthly HOA? 
Have any other communities grappled with this problem? I’m 75 years old, quite 
healthy, am economically challenged & I’d still rather pay for cleaning. But 
the main thing is to be fair and kind to all members and not embarrass people.

Also: what do communities do to prevent winter wet & mud from getting in on the 
hall rugs?  Take off boots at the door?