Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: survey results

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

Missed the original message. Just to add to your numbers:

Puget Ridge Cohousing in Seattle has a waiting list of 12
Sharingwood Cohousing, North of Seattle has a waiting list of 5

Several groups in the area are looking for members so the adage that 
the more real it looks the better may apply as both groups above are 
building. However, I might also add that much of the work for those 
projects is done...... Hmmm. Coincidence or not?  I wonder how many 
people are into the ideal and want to live it but can't committ two 
years (or more) of meetings to make it happen?  Probably lots, 
especially those with small kids.  I would be interested to know what 
other groups do as far as childcare goes for meetings and if the lack 
or presence or quality of childcare is a "gating" factor for potential 
members?

>From my perspective I get about 4-5 calls a week for information about 
local cohousing groups and I sent out 23 cohousing matrixes (lists of 
cohousing groups in our area)  in Nov and Dec.  There seems to be a 
steady interest although I know from my own communities recruiting 
efforts it takes about 90-100 contacts to get one committed member.  
Granted that is probably project specific to us, but it seems to be a 
general trend that lots of people like the idea, sort of, but either 1. 
Can't afford it  2. Are too afraid to invest in something that is not 
"normal".  or 3. Find it not ideal enough.

It would be interesting to get data from people who were attracted, but 
didn't commit to know better what is going on.  Thanks for sharing what 
you found out.

Rob Sandelin
Puget Sound Cohousing Network
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From: Judy  <netmail!BAXTER%55317 [at] VX.CIS.UMN.EDU>
To: Rob Sandelin
Subject: survey results
Date: Tuesday, December 28, 1993 1:52PM

Well folks - here it is - the results of my survey, such as it was; I sent
out the following message - which appears to have been less than clear - yup- I
should have piloted it.  Oh well,
=================================================
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 11:53 -0600 (CST)
Subject: market for cohousing

I have a question for as many people as are willing to reply.  How many of you
actually know one or more people who you think would be seriously ready to
consider committing to a cohousing community  and could afford to buy a unit,
and some idea of the maximum those persons could afford?  (AND the people
aren't already in a core group). The response NONE is as important or more
important than yes, some number.

So - the question is - how many households do you know who you think would be
seriously ready to consider committing to a cohousing community  and could
afford to buy a unit, (AND the people aren't already in a core group) and some
idea of the maximum those persons could afford?

As you can guess, Monterey Cohousing is gearing up for recruitment, and we are
also discussing what size (and cost) units people might afford.  I have a
theory, but no data.

====================================

I guess what I was really getting at was how many people may be out there who
either 1) have heard of cohousing but aren't ready to start on their own  or
           2) haven't heard of "cohousing" but have talked of various shared 
living
options and would be likely candidates.
i.e. - are those of us who have put years of effort into this just the tip of
the iceberg, or some way-ahead pioneers?

The results so far suggest we are more pioneerish than I had hoped.  Of the 9
replies that I got (out of how many folks on this "net"?)
        5 seemed to say none beyond themselves or their core groups
[maybe they mean no-one else is interested in THEIR Group.  I know a few people
here who are really interested but Monterey is not a good location for them.]

        1 knew of 5
        1 group has a waiting list of 15 hholds and thinks there are lots
        1 core group described itself
        1 describes a 3-4 in the core group and 16 or so possibles in contact at
orientation meetings


My sense is that this process is demanding(more than I like) and people who get
in now really care about having the community.  And lots of people want it, but
also have a lot of other requirements (lots of green space, in the city,
ecological concerns, low income, .... you name it).  So for any  particular
site and set of parameters, we select out a few people.  I had hoped, like it
says in The Book, that once it looks real, more and more people are attracted.
And that may be true - I may just be too impatient.

Thanks for responding, all of you.
Judy Baxter, Monterey Cohousing Community, Twin Cities Area, Mpls/St.Paul MN
        (Mococo)                baxter [at] epivax.epi.umn.edu
Twin Cities CoHousing Network Voice Mail  612-930-7580
 Voice Mail for Monterey Cohousing - 612-930-7554