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

[Elizabeth Magill (pastorlizm]

We have as separate cohousing fund that pays for some of our costs.
The reason--sliding scale.
Cleaning, laundry room, garden, bouncy house, garden, etc., are all part of
the "cohousing fund".
The fund has a budget, we figure what is needed and people pledge what they
will pay. If we don't hit the budget we ask again, and then cut things from
budget (once I think). The minimum pledge is 5% of the average required.

What we did about rugs? We removed them. Hard for wheelchairs and walkers.
-Liz
(The Rev. Dr.) Elizabeth Mae Magill
Pastor, Ashburnham Community Church
Minister to the Affiliates, Ecclesia Ministries
www.elizabethmaemagill.com
508-450-0431


On Wed, Oct 30, 2024 at 4:51 PM Barbara Smith via Cohousing-L <
cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

>
> 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?
>
>
>
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