Cohousing-L Mailing List: student family housing... ~= coho?

[Shava Nerad (shava]

There's an interesting thing to think about...

I just realized this morning that I am involved in another "coho-like" 
project.  I'm on the BOD for Amazon Family Coop Daycare, which is part
of the married student housing complex here.  About 50 years ago, this
housing was thrown up quickly to accomodate a rush of returning GI-bill
student families.  A common building was used as a PX and recreation hall!
About 15 years ago, a few families with experience with kibbutz living 
started a cashless coop store there, for the families, and a daycare
coop.

Now, the daycare coop has taken over the building (the cashless store
apparently didn't prove longterm viability...;).  But the buildings are
shabby and the university is selling them to low-income housing for the
homeless, and building a new complex of 2-3 BR units (200+ of them!) with
tiny little roads (yes, you will be able to park inside, but the roads
now are about 1.5 lanes, and kids play and people walk and cars drive
about 5mph... As many people bike as drive.  No one is allowed more than
one car.)  As part of the BOD of the coop daycare, I'm helping plan the
common space. 

I just wanted to say thank you! to the list, and the cohousing/intentional
community folks out there in general, for how the books, email, and so on,
has informed the process of planning the new common building, which will
include daycare for 100 kids, meal and meeting facilities, maintenance 
offices, and recreational facilities.

Also, it'd be interesting to see how planning for complexes such as this --
low income student family housing -- can profit from the experience of 
cohousing.  If there's a professional organization for these planners,
someone should talk to them!!

Musing and amused...

Shava Nerad
shava [at] ns.uoregon.edu