Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Some membership questions

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

In addressing how we deal with members leaving and arriving at RoseWind, 
I realize I could also say what we did prior to buying our lots.

We were an entity for some years before the accomplishment of our Planned 
Unit Development process with the City created RoseWind lots as legal 
entities which could be bought. At that point we had an Associate 
Membership category which one joined with a payment of $10,000 or more, 
which then was equity on the eventual lot purchase. The contract spelled 
out that if you changed your mind and wanted out, your money could only 
be refunded once a replacement person joined. This was necessary as we 
might have already spent the money on land purchase, for instance. In one 
case an associate member had to leave because of a health crisis. We 
refunded their money as soon as we had it, even when a replacement member 
had not joined, out of compassion for their circumstances.

Once our lots became official, we paid up to our purchase price and 
became legal owners of our respective lots. Then, if someone wanted to 
join, but wasn't completely sure, we had a "courtesy hold" arrangement 
whereby a person could reserve "dibs" on a particular lot. If and when 
someone else was wanting to buy that lot, the courtesy hold person had a 
certain notice -- I forget exactly how much, but something like two 
weeks, I'd guess--- in which they could pay in full and get that lot, or 
cede their rights to that lot. Mostly people just bought in when they 
were ready. 

Lynn Nadeau at RoseWind Cohousing in Port Townsend
where we are gathering families for our last few lots, in the hope of 
making a combination of single and duplex homes as affordable as we 
can--- if you've been lurking about joining, this is the perfect time to 
come forth!