Cohousing-L Mailing List: Community Norms and Residency Agreements?

[R Philip Dowds (rphilipdowds]

Cohousing Friends —

HEADLINE:  I’m looking for cohousing residency “agreements”.  If you have one 
you can share, can you send it to me at rphilipdowds [at] me.com 
<mailto:rpdowds [at] me.com>?

BACKSTORY:
Occasionally, a residency “agreement” sails through my radar, although I’m not 
locating any at the moment.  But the idea is that a candidate new buyer, or 
tenant, or recent move-in gets an orientation which includes a written summary 
of critical community norms, possibly in the form of personal agreements.  Like 
… “I understand ...
  •  “... the community expects all members to participate in chores and 
circles.”
  •  “... I may be asked to join a management circle or take on a specific 
chore.”
  •  “… in community meetings, I should speak with civility and respect.”
  •  “… this is a vegan community, and all shared meals must be vegan."
  •  “… the common house closes every evening at 10pm.”
And so on.  Whatever important norms or policies need special emphasis, 
especially for newcomers.

This list of norms might take the form of a ratified “agreement” or “contract”. 
 Maybe the resident signs and dates a copy, indicating agreement and buy-in.  
Or maybe it’s a little looser, like the resident signs a statement saying, “At 
my orientation, I was given a list of community norms, and I have read it …” 
which stops short of a “promise” to comply.

Enforcement?  Enforcement is a touchy subject, both legally and politically.  
But premonitions of “enforcement" possibilities might include language like, “I 
understand …”
  •  “… when asked by the Conflict Management Circle, I should participate in a 
dispute resolution healing circle”, or…
  •  “… if I’m unable to comply with community norms, I may be asked to stand 
away temporarily from certain groups, meetings, activities or decisions.”  ???

SO:  Do you have anything written about this you can send me?  Or … if you have 
looked into this, but failed to pull it off, I’d be interested in hearing about 
that as well.

———————————
Thanks,
Philip Dowds
Cornerstone Cohousing
Cambridge, MA