Cohousing-L Mailing List: affordable housing

[BERWIN (BERWIN]

    I wrote about the idea I had that everyone in a cohousing development
contribute an amount per month to subsidize one unit.
    Judith responded wondering if "the recipients of this good will----would
feel like charity cases, feel unequal."
    I've  been involved in two developing cohousing in which both are being
organized by one or two people, one or two people have done the majority of
the work for several years. In one case one person bought the land initially
with her
money and in another several people put in amounts many many times over what
other members contributed-they did this so the community would get off the
ground.
   Once someone becomes a member everyone knows who has contributed what, who
has enabled the cohousing to get off the ground, qualify for financing. 
   It's also been evident that these gracious people don't want others to
grant them more say on issues just because they have laid the groundwork or
put out more money. 
   So the recipient of the subsidized unit might easily be one of many many
other members thankful that others saved the day and literally enabled their
cohousing to become a reality.   Leah