Cohousing-L Mailing List: residents with financial problems

[RAYGASSER (RAYGASSER]

Presumeably some communities have run into this problem, and we may,
so we're looking for a little advice.

Are there structures set up for dealing with a community member
who has come up against financial difficulties, can't make the mortgage,
missed a few assessment payments, etc.?
We may institute a general fund from which the board can make 
discretionary loans/grants, but that wil require some close monitoring
and possibly strict guidelines.

Our current problem has to do with a well-loved member involved in getting
us tremendous assistance  (and grants) with his expertise in
energy systems. We are in the early stages of development, with thirty 
houses available and about 26 spoken for. If we hold a spot for him,
and he can't get it toether by "construction loan" time, it puts some
extra financial burden on the rest of us.

Some in the group say, "We can't go making exceptions for him,
because then we'll need to make exceptions for others, and it could
end up costing the others a lot of money."

Others believe "We're a community and we need to look out for each other."

In this case, he'd only like us to hold a spot for a period of time, not to
provide cash. FUture dilemma may require $$$.

Any Ideas out there in cyberworld?

Ray & Maria Gasser, Ecovillage at Ithaca, NY
raygasser [at] delphi.com