Cohousing-L Mailing List: Introduction to Fred Olson

[Fred H Olson -- WB0YQM (FRED%JWH]

                                          Tue  12-08-1992
                                          Fred H. Olson    ( WB0YQM )
                                          Becca Brackett   ( N0CAH )
Introduction to                           1221 Russell Av N
    Fred Olson (and family).              Minneapolis, MN 55411
                                          (612) 588-9532
                                          (Internet: fred%jwh [at] 
vx.cis.umn.edu)

I am 45 years old and a parent of a 3.7 year old son who was born in Peru. I am
a part time contract computer programmer (embedded systems in Forth) and work
out of my home in an inner city neighborhood of North Minneapolis. Becca
Brackett, my wife, is also active in the Seward core group (see below). She is a
family practice doctor. My other interests include computers, bicycling. Becca's
interests include quilting , gardening, Spanish language. We are both interested
in progressive politics, genealogy/family history (Fred: Danish,Swedish Becca:
English, New England), CoHousing, Latin America, adoption, amateur radio, inner
city living, hiking.  We plan to visit Denmark and Sweden someday; along with
looking for my roots we hope to see some cohousing communities.

We were part of an unsuccessful organizing effort to form a housing coop out of
our tenants union in several low income '3 decker' apartment buildings in
Worcester, Mass. in about 1973.  A little later we lived in an urban commune in
Worcester.  These and other collaborative housing experiences prepared us for
the cohousing movement.  The house we have lived in for 15 years was an
'urban homestead' house that we renovated; we did most of the work ourselves.

We first learned about cohousing at a forum at the Unitarian Society done by
Twin Cities Cohousing Network in August of 1991.  We went right out and
read the McCammant and Durret book.  I haven't gotten all the way thru
Dorrit Fromm's book yet (I don't own a copy) but I plan to.

We are a part of the Seward core group. It was formed in May 1992 around a 4
acre former truck depot site on the south edge of the Seward neighborhood in
Minneapolis.  (The site is .75 miles south of the I-94 bridge over the
Mississippi River which can be found on the metro map in any U.S. road atlas.)
We have the support of the neighborhood group (which is 30 years old, quite
strong and progressive) and their associated community development corporation -
Seward Redesign which is functioning much as our developer.  We hope to have a
diverse multicultural community and get funds thru the city to acquire and clear
the land for construction.  Working with public agencies affects the process.

We are attracted to the Seward site because of it's urban location, proximity to
an established neighborhood, parks, libraries, the University on Minnesota. Also
its location on bus routes and within bicycling distance of many urban amenities
appeals to us.

The Seward core group is having difficulty attracting people with time and
energy to participate and organize.  We are hopeful about Seward Redesign
getting resources and agreements to gain 'site control'.  If and when that
happens we expect attracting participants will be easier because the probabilty
of success will increase greatly.

I am the Seward representative to the Twin Cities Cohousing Network.

I started COHOUSING-L with the aid of a friend (Thanks Jon Harder) who works at
uci.com . Our local cohousing dial-up bbs has difficulty with having too few
users to form the critical mass to be viable.  We may port messages from here to
it to help with that problem.  I also subscribe to the Peru mailing list.
I check my Email at least daily by modem to my account at the U of M.

Fred