Cohousing-L Mailing List: Some Issues for "Burning Souls"

[Dan Suchman (71756.2661]

The organizers of this year's CoHo Conference in Boulder have solicited
discussion topics from those who plan to attend the "Burning Souls" (I wince
when I use that term -  the connotation of hell and damnation. . .) portion of
the conference.  I'd like to hear from Cohousing-L subscribers and others -
especially those currently living in coho communities -  their comments on the
following issues of fascination to me (call these my "Burning Issues") and which
I look forward to discussing at the conference:

1.  CONSENSUS.  Why does there seem to be such a bias in favor of "consensus"
decision making?  How is "consensus" defined at you community?  If not formally
defined, how do you know when consensus has been reached?  Can individual
members "block" (veto) decisions? How frequently and under what circumstances do
members block or threaten to block?  Are blocks used for community good, to
express personal preferences or for some other purpose(s)?  Can a block /veto be
over-ridden?  Has an over-ride ever been used?

2.  DELEGATION.  To what degree have certain decisions been delegated to smaller
autonomous subgroups of the community having authority to act without further
authority from the entire group?  How well has that delegation been accepted by
the community?  Is there often "second guessing"?  Are there over-ride / appeal
mechanisms? Have they been used?

3.  CONTRIBUTION.  Does your community make explicit the amounts of money, labor
or other resources that it expects each member / resident to contribute
periodically to the community?  Are these expectations enforced? If so, how?

4.  COMMON VISION / VALUES.  Do members of your community adhere to an explicit,
written mission statement or set of "core values"? Is there an explicit common
community "vision" toward which you are all working?

5.  MODELING COMMUNITY.   Does your community aspire to be an exemplary
cohousing community?  Are your community or its members involved in promoting
cohousing as a movement or mainstream housing alternative?

6.  TURNOVER.  How long have units been occupied and how much turn-over has
there been at your community?

7.  LEGAL FORM OF OWNERSHIP.  What form of ownership is used at your community
(condo lots, condo buildings, coop, planned unit development, etc.) and how are
the common areas owned?

8.  LEADERSHIP.  What role has leadership played in your community?  What styles
do effective leaders use?  How are leaders generally treated by the community?

9.  ACCOUNTABILITY.   Does your community attempt to insure that its essential
tasks are done reliably, efficiently, equitably and well?  How?

10.  QUALITY OF DECISIONS.   What criteria does your community tend to apply in
evaluating the quality of a decision (e.g., whether everyone is happy; whether
there are as many happy as unhappy; whether the decision best serves the needs
of the community, regardless of the feelings or perceptions of a few dissenters;
whether the decision results in the least expenditure of money, either
immediately or in the long run;  whether the decision results in a high degree
of "excellence" in comparison to the economic or emotional cost, etc.)?

11.  DEVELOPMENT / CONSTRUCTION FINANCING.   How was construction of your
community financed?  Was there a developer, investor group or other source of
construction equity in addition to institutional loans?  What degree of control
did residents have over the design process?

I look forward to sharing ideas on these and other important cohousing issues,
and to meeting some you at the conference.

Dan Suchman
Winslow Cohousing
Bainbridge Island, WA