Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: CoHo and Renting

[Joaniblank (Joaniblank]

Glad to see this discussion of renting. I also have a unit to share at Doyle
Street. I've had only one nibble though you'd think I'd be swamped,
Emeryville being 15 minutes from downtown San Francisco and 5 minutes from
downtown Berkeley. But the general issue of mixed owned and rented units
within a project is worthy of exploration. I can get my brain around
roommates/housemates more easily than I can around homes potentially being
owned by someone who is not *into* CoHousing, and is purchasing the home, say
as an investment. How would such a person be involved in the planning process
if the project was not yet completed--or not even started? How could the
group put pressure on such a "landlord" not to sell his or her house to
someone who was not interested in participating in the community.

When I joined the Doyle St. group I was required to sign a participation
agreement. Among other things, I agreed not to rent or sell my home to anyone
who was not also willing to sign a similar agreement.  Although we no longer
require people to sign particpation agreements--we had to take such a
requirement out of our condo association bylaws in order to get our
individual mortgages--we strongly encourage them to do so. 

Joani Blank