Re: Cohousing vs "traditional" self-managed community
From: Nancy Detweiler (nancydetweilerhotmail.com)
Date: Mon, 19 May 2025 09:29:19 -0700 (PDT)
Great questions! I’m sure it differs from
Place to place, but each Cohousing site should use such questions when 
introducing potential members to their location.
Sent from my iPhone

> On May 19, 2025, at 9:05 AM, Mac Thomson via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
> cohousing.org> wrote:
>
> At Heartwood Cohousing, we take this concern very seriously in that we have 
> a very strong process of making sure prospective members are very familiar 
> with our community and have fully considered whether we are a good fit for 
> them and vice versa and also a very strong orientation process once they 
> arrive, including a big welcoming on their day of arrival — welcome basket 
> and lots of help moving in, followed by six months of various orientations 
> and a getting-to-know-you event.
>
> To learn more about our processes:
> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership.html 
> <https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership.html>
> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/prospective-member-checklist.html 
> <https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/prospective-member-checklist.html>
> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership-questionnaire.html 
> <https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership-questionnaire.html>
> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/for-new-members.html 
> <https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/for-new-members.html>
>
> Cheers,
> Mac
>
>
> --
> Mac Thomson
>
> Heartwood Cohousing
> Southwest Colorado
> http://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/
>
>
> "America is a country that doesn't know where it's going but is determined to 
> set a speed record getting there."
>        - Laurence J. Peter
> **********************************************************
>
>
>
>> On May 17, 2025, at 12:31 PM, Lisa Kuntz via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
>> cohousing.org> wrote:
>>
>> When I chose to move to a cohousing community nine years ago, I did a lot
>> of preparation and chose my community after following several cohos online
>> for a few years, as well as visiting and "interviewing" with a couple in
>> person.
>>
>> I thought that the concept of *cohousing *was a bit different than the idea
>> of a traditional *self-managed community, * the difference being the
>> expectation for not just participation but for social engagement and
>> collaboration. What if those expectations are not communicated before
>> people buy or rent?
>>
>> What I am curious about:
>>
>>  - Does a  *cohousing community *become just another *self-managed
>>  community, *if there are no expectations communicated to potential
>>  "members?"
>>  - If a community offers only realtor-type tours, without relational
>>  information, is it still *cohousing*?
>>  - If a community ceases to feel comfortable with any type of
>>  conversational/interview process to support potential buyers, is it still
>>  *cohousing*?
>>  - If there is no process to help buyers determine whether or not they
>>  wish to live in a *relationally* oriented community, what happens to the
>>  term "members?"  It seems to me as though we are just "residents."
>>  - What happens when there is no concrete process to educate buyers about
>>  how the *social fabric* differs from that of a traditional self-managed
>>  community?
>>  - Some of this transition to feeling like a traditional, self-managed
>>  community rather than what I think of as cohousing, is due to Fair Housing
>>  concerns.
>>
>> I don't know whether these thoughts will resonate with others, but if they
>> do I would appreciate your feedback.
>>
>> Lisa Kuntz
>> Daybreak Cohousing
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>>
>
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