Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Price increases, sweat equity

[ian_hig (ian_hig]

Elana Kahn wrote

"I am wondering about other groups' experiences with price increases.
How have you handled them? Have you found ways to help members who
can't manage the increases on their own? And how much sweat equity is
just right, how much is overload?"

Cascade Cohousing built with a large sweat equity component.  We 
built our common house and are building are paths and landscaping.  
In doing so we have saved members many thousands of dollars and cost 
them many weekends.  We are very proud of our achievements.  On the 
other hand the amount of work was too much for many people and trying 
to be equitable was a source of conflict in the group.

I think you 
will find quite a bit about sweat equity in the cohousing archives.  
Large sweat equity commitments should not be taken on lightly (IMHO) 
and issues of accountability, equity and the like should be discussed 
in advance.

Carefull selection of what you build yourselves (perhaps trying to 
save the maximum dollars per hour worked), contingenecy planning and 
deciding in the priority of tasks are important. Try to find tasks 
that can be put off for a few years without dissrupting your 
lifestyles too much.  It is 3 years since our first households moved 
in and we are only just building our paths.  Temporary paths made 
from coal ash and crushed rock have got us throught the last two 
winters. (I have to admit that most if us wish we could afford to 
have someone build the paths).

If the people in your group that have less money have more time (this 
of course may not be the case) then it is possible for somepeople to 
pay for part of their common share in time (or alternatively people with 
money can pay someone to attend working bees on their bahalf).

Good luck and I hope your original optimistic costings do not blow 
out too much.

Ian
Ian Higginbottom
Fisheries Hydroacoustics
Australian Antarctic Division
Channel Highway
Kingston, Tasmania 7004
Tel:  (002) 323 360  Intl: 61 02 323 360
Fax:  (002) 323 351  Intl: 61 02 323 351