Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Neighbor's property values

[Rob Sandelin (Floriferous]

The issue should be uncohousized. Cohousing is not one whit different than any 
other multi-family housing condo project in terms of effects on local property 
values. So get your comparisons from local multifamily projects. This is a 
smoke screen issue that people always use and it's bogus. It is pretty 
difficult to show that property values are effected negatively by new housing 
development, and local developers in the Tuscon area should have stats to show 
this. I would be very surprised if any cohousing group anywhere has any real 
data on adjacent property values, and has data that proves property values 
changed due to the cohousing.  

Its a non issue unless all your neighbors are single family homes and you are 
the only multifamily development. Then, assuming zoning is OK, they have a 
valid argument. But if there is other multi-family in your area, you can just 
point to that and say that existing multifamily development had no negative 
effect on property values, and cohousing is no different. And then move the 
burden of proof to them by declaring there is no data that shows existing 
property values to decline due to multi-family development. If anybody 
challenges this, ask them politely for their data. Odds are high, they will 
have none, and not be able to find any either. Lots of things make property 
values decline, new housing development is not one of them.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood


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From:   cohousing-l [at] freedom.mtn.org on behalf of Patricia A. DeWitt
Sent:   Friday, January 16, 1998 11:36 PM
Subject:        Neighbor's property values

WE are in our rezoning process, just received a positive recommendation
from the Tucson city planner.  Our next step is to get approval from mayor
and council.
One of the objections from the neighbors is the fear of their property
values plummeting. 
Are there any completed cohousing projects that could supply facts that
show an appreciation in property values for the neighbors.
I would be willing to contact Realtors in your area that could supply me
with information.
Thanks for your help, Patricia
Patricia DeWitt, member of the  Community for Ecological Living
being built on 43 acres in Tucson Mountain, in rezoning process
will have 28 homes, currently have 8 families