Cohousing-L Mailing List: Condo Conversion Fantasies

[Mmariner (Mmariner]

Bruce Koller said:

[Re converting a condo complex to cohousing} " I think if you took your time
and let things happen gradually, you might find that the folks who didn't
like the increased sense of community would be happy to sell (perhaps at a
higher price than they could get now) so they could move into something with
more privacy, like a suburban house.  I guess I see the potential here for a
win-win situation, with the complex being gradually converted into
cohousing."

I, too, have had such fantasies, just having moved out of a condo complex in
Boulder.  This one was older -- had a large central building that could be a
workable common house with a kitchen renovation, but the parking was where
the courtyards should be.  (Oh, well)  I talked about coho to a few folks
around the pool, but didn't get much response.  The president of the condo
assn. lived next door.  She was intrigued on some level, but not moved to
action by a long shot.  The *major* issues were parking infringements and
those nasty renters leaving boxes and storage in their carports. (Only bikes
& cars allowed).  There was a movement to disallow owners to rent out their
units.....

My sense is, in general, folks who live in condos live there because they
either can't afford regular houses and/or don't want a yard to care for.  But
this doesn't make them necessarily more inclined toward a cohousing
lifestyle.

A couple years ago, I talked about cohousing (stand-in for Zev Paiss) to a
Denver metro condo managers assn. meeting.  Most had left by the time I
spoke, but those still hanging in said they liked the idea and more resident
cooperation would make their jobs easier, but most felt condo owners/renters
were even less inclined to cooperation and cited their attempts at community
building that failed.  Especially where there were garages, residents drove
in and disappeared to the outside world except for an occasional tennis game
or walking the dog.

And yet, I retain my the optimist's outlook (fantasy perhaps) that there's
potential to convert condos to cohos.  Perhaps we need just a little more
deterioration in the social fabric to help condo people value community and
begin to seek it in their own lives.....  Or maybe just a few cohousing folks
moving into a condo complex and doing it one unit at a time, as Bruce
said.....

Mike M

(Finally, almost moved out of the condo complex - just a couple more pickup
loads -- call myself an environmentalist - hah! )