Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Forms of ownership

[Berrins (Berrins]

In a message dated 3/25/2000 5:42:24 PM, vbradova [at] bestweb.net writes:

<< I like the private ownership of units, and private mortgages, of the condo 
model,
but it seems that with condos, the community gives up any control over who 
comes
in in the future.  >>

That isn't necessarily true.  You can write some control into the Master deed 
for the community.  For example, you can require the seller to offer the unit 
to anyone in the community first or to someone on your waiting list (right of 
first refusal).  You can devise some sort of limit to the price a seller can 
get for each unit (the banks and/or lawyers may not go for this one).  
By-laws can give you some control over what future residents can and cannot 
do (e.g., quiet times, pet policies, back yards and rentals).

And here's a ditto on Rob's thoughts on fostering community involvement; the 
level of community involvement you have will likely be adopted by newcomers, 
which is a lot like parents passing on habits to children; they will do what 
you do.  So keep up the good work!  Yow wow!


Roger Berman
Pathways Cohousing
Northampton, MA