Cohousing-L Mailing List: Low Income cohousing

[Dan McEvers (dmcevers]

I do some volunteer work for the local low-income housing consortium.
They are searching for alternatives to mainstream building techniques.
I have suggested the use of non-wood materials such as straw bale,
shotcrete over re-inforced foam, etc.  Habitat for Humanity is utilizing
many of these methods.

Has anybody done any work in designing cohousing developments geared for
low income owners?  I have heard the phrase "Habitat for the rest of us"
used in reference to the need for groups organized around the need for
low cost housing using self-help, co-operative materials' and land
purchasing, yet excluding no one.  I see a real need for agencies who
could organize volume purchases at lower cost, and who could oversee the
mutual exchanging of labor and skills in order to erect a neighborhood.

It appears that cohousing inherently implies a bit of intentional or
thematic building, if only to enable the drawing of a master plan.
Neighborhoods or developments are going to pivot around a common
income level.  I'd like to know if anyone can steer me to material
describing ideas for public/private low income cohousing-type communities
utilizing alternative building methods.  Are there institutes or
architecture schools doing this work? [I've read about McGill U. in
Canada--does anyone have their low cost housing program URL?]

I'm trying to get creative ideas into the hands of local officials in
hopes of attacking an acute shortage of low-income housing locally.

Thankyou.

---
dmcevers [at] poweramp.net    ==>     Dan McEvers in Spokane, WA.