Cohousing-L Mailing List: Commonhouse materials

[Rob Sandelin (Floriferous]

A large number of people replied so I am broadcasting this so I don't have to 
individually reply to the 18 people who want this.

I have collected and organized information about commonhouses that is in the 
cohousing-l archives in a 20 page document. I will send you, snail mail this 
document, for $2 which covers my copying and mailing costs.  You need to send 
$2 in cash, or stamps, or make out a $2 check to NICA, and send it to:

NICA  22020 East Lost Lake Rd. Snohomish, WA  98296

Someday these materials will be on the NICA website, along with a bunch of 
other stuff, and they will be on the new revamped resources section of the 
Cohousing web pages. Until then, you need to order them in paper.

Rob

----------
From:   cohousing-l [at] freedom.mtn.org on behalf of MelaSilva [at] aol.com
Sent:   Thursday, May 01, 1997 10:09 PM
Subject:        Re: Reinventing the Wheel

Gee, this is really complicated. 
For a long time after we moved in, I would have whole heartedly agreed that
we wasted a lot of time making decisions about minor stuff. 

We have been here almost 4 years now, and  I see a big difference in trust,
faith and acceptance among those of us who spent years fact finding,
reporting back, discussing, persuading, defending our position, giving in to
another view, facilitating, arguing, and finally concensing on literally
hundreds of issues.
Why did it have to be design and construction that we learned so much from?
Because we CARED so very much. How can you learn the depths of someone in 2
hours a week, except in a situation in which you are very emotionally and
financially invested?   Designing a cohousing community now seems like an
excellent way in which a bunch of people who don't know each other can grow
into a caring, committed extended family.

Sorry if this sounds sappy. But I have witnessed such caring and sharing in
this community,  and I really do credit the creative design/building process.
 People who only live here, who moved in after we built it, take much longer
to grow those bonds.  

Pam Silva
Southside Park, Sacramento