Cohousing-L Mailing List: elitist lifestyle/affordability

[Judy Baxter (BAXTER]

King Collins wrote:

<I do feel that affordability is an essential problem for coho. I feel that
the last post directed to me is from Paul Kiduff,  misses one of my main
points. I was not arguing for a reincarnation of a centralized bureaucracy
on the Russian model or any other. Far from it. However, to the extent that
government is involved in social welfare, it is reasonable that it could
support the cooperative housing movement.>

I know this topic keeps coming up, but I don't quite get it. I think
affordability  of housing is an essential problem for our society, as is
resource use, toxins in the environment. . . . you name it.  And groups try to
varying degrees (EcoVillage) to deal with environmental problems.  Many are
just trying to get something built that they can get financed.  For some
reason, it seems to me, we look idealistic and therefore are supposed tosolve
the housing problem.  And whatever we do, it isn't enough. I wish we could, and
maybe someday we will, but I am convinced that expecting cohousing to change
the housing system in USA will be much more likely to scuttle cohousing.  
 
Chuck Durrett argued years ago that experimenting on low income populations was
a bad idea, and that when this cohousing experiment could prove itself
attractive to those with choices, it would have a better shot at being part of
the solution to the housing problem.  Maybe, I think.  But I do think that
learning to live in communities is valuable, even for those who are not having
trouble with finding affordable housing. :-)

And cohousing is not *one* thing.  As someone pointed out here, the media likes
to focus on the new construction projects, tends to leave out N street, other
retrofit or partly retrofit projects. 

Ah well, I like my rehab-ed old retirement home apartment.
Judy

Judy Baxter, Monterey Cohousing Community,(MoCoCo) Twin Cities Area, Mpls.,MN
-- e-mail:      baxter [at] epivax.epi.umn.edu
15 homes - 7 new townhomes and 8 coop apartments  in a rehab Georgian building
 built as a retirement home in 1924 - 
 
**** enjoying the last of our wonderful landscaping******
**** re-roofed the garage

 Voice Mail for Monterey Cohousing - 612-930-7554