Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: affordable housing

[Legal-All Lawyers (Salley]

Naji -

I think this is wishful thinking - at least as far as development in 
urbanized-suburban areas where land cost is high and zoning strict, although 
some savings are possible by building town-house, cluster developments. 
 I've actually had some experience in conventional do-it-yourself building - 
it takes forever and is totally exhausting!   I can't imagine trying to 
build with "local materials" (?hay bales, ?pressed earth)  while  holding 
down  full-time jobs!   Of course, there may be the potential for some 
sweat--equity contributions in finishing units, landscaping, etc. once the 
project is fairly far along.   But in reality cohousing is not low-cost 
housing; its hard to see how it could be given the requirement for  a 
common-house and other facilities.

Probably the only hope for "affordability" is to obtain assistance from 
local or state agencies, combined with some initial risk by members who can 
afford to front some extra  funds early in the process and believe in the 
concept sufficiently to do so.

Rowena

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From: cohousing-l
Subject: Re: Re: affordable housing
Date: Thursday, August 31, 1995 10:16AM

Most of the literature of the housing study argued that the
affordable housing can be met through the using of local materials
and the design as well as the people participations in
construction of their housing .

Naji