Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Celebration: Coho in the mainstream?

[Monty Berman (mberman]

To Rob Sandelin,
        I concur with you re your suggestion that we have nothing to fear from 
the  mainstream if there is a clear articulation of the defining 
characteristics of cohousing. Having said that, I suspect that such a 
formulation may be difficult to come by. But then we could always 
accompany what we put together with an appropriate caveat...no!
        As far as community being the most prevalent reason why people 
join such groups, this seems to me to be what I have heard from most of 
those in our own project here in Ithaca. And, of course, it is important 
to point out the caveat regarding this concept/experience: community is 
almost always different things to different people. (And, in my view, our 
experience with dialoguing, debating, and struggling around this issue in 
our group has tended to promote it <community>.) 
        In ending here, images come to me of specific others who have, 
over time, uttered those damning words, "I'm looking for community," and, 
even though it was difficult for me to believe them at the time they 
expressed that, I have seen, on a number of occasions, that their 
choices, often difficult ones, have shown an authentic respect of and 
intention for community.


Monty Berman, EcoVillage at Ithaca, First Residence Group.

On Wed, 6 Dec 1995, Rob Sandelin (Exchange) wrote:

> I think the key to cohousing successfully being co-opted by the mainstream, 
> for profit developers, is that the defining characteristics of cohousing be 
> clearly articulated in the marketing and mass culture advertising to clearly 
> separate cohousing from typical condos.
> 
> Many existing condos could be marketed as Cohousing in that they have common 
> elements right? Some even have pedestrian designs.   I think there are key 
> elements of cohousing which would need to be in place before It would be 
> identified as cohousing, the most important of which, in my thinking, is 
> that difficult to define word, Community.  In my travels, when I ask people 
> why did you join x cohousing project, the concept of community is the 
> commonest anwser.
> 
> Here is my list, in order of importance, of key defining elements, yours 
> will probably be different:
> 
> A cooperative intention among the residents
> Resident control of the management
> Community dinner
> A commonhouse and/or other shared common facilities
> Resident participation in the community design
> 
> 
> I left out several issues of architectural style such as pedestrian, social 
> interface of the houses etc because I don't think these as key defining 
> elements, not because they are not important.
> 
> I think you can have all the other elements, but if you are missing a 
> cooperative intention, then all you have is a condo.  That's why I put it 
> first on my list.  In my opinion, it is the cooperative intention which 
> makes cohousing what it is and worth having.
> 
> I have come to beleive that community dinner is also a core thing which 
> defines cohousing as a community rather than a condo.  Having experienced it 
> now for three years I do not see how you could have a community without some 
> sort of shared meal, it is the crucible of community.
> 
> Rob Sandelin
> Puget Sound Cohousing Network
> Sharingwood Cohousing
> 
> 
> 
> 
>