Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: CLTs & PARCC Housing

[Michael Omogrosso (omo]

This discussion is wonderful (remember back when that word meant filled 
with elements that amaze and delight, thats's what I mean).  I'm off to a 
state clt meeting today so I'll make this very brief with more detailed 
responses later.

I truely believe automobiles are too abundant and used for transport that 
could better be done another way from a sustainable view point, yet I do 
have a large van and take two of my kids to opposite ends of town for 
school several days every other week.  It is convenient, time economic 
(would take an  hour and a half by bike) 
and yes there is that feeling of being in control of my environment.

I do have alternatives like picking schools closer rather than for 
preceived quality. Get the drift.

CLTs or the concept of land ownership is the same way. We are subject to 
a rationalization that to own a piece of land is our right.  Citizens 
could only be such if they owned property so the everyday person made 
that their goal.  A good goal--betterment.  

THIS IS NOT CHASTISEMENT OF THOSE WHO WANT PERSONAL GAIN AS THE DRIVER 
FOR THEIR ACTION! please hear that.

We have other ways.  One is to raise our neighbor's status with 
our's--regaining the concept of community.  CLTs do that by limiting the 
cost of owning a home by controlling the land and resale value of the 
structure on the land.

Yes, that does limit me from making twice what I paid for  property ten 
years later, but I have saved other ways potentially: property taxes, 
land costs, collective maintenance... . These saving are free to be 
invested in other ways so that you may still make quite a financial gain 
in those ten years.
 Please keep the question, answers and relationships to CLTs coming.

Michael Omogrosso
East Blair Housing Cooperative 
Eugene, Oregon
"limit equity for social gain"