Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Much Ado

[lilbert (lilbert]

----------
>From: "Catya Belfer-Shevett" <catya [at] homeport.org>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <cohousing-l [at] freedom2.mtn.org>
>Subject: RE: Much Ado
>Date: Wed, Nov 1, 2000, 7:46 PM
>

> My $.02...
>
>> You can't imagine the difference it makes to your community to have income
>> diversity, unless you see it for yourself.
>
> In our not-quite-land-searching group, we want the income diversity, but
> we're having a hard time figuring out how to make it happen.  We just had a
> family drop out, in part because they feel we'll be out of their price
> range.
>
> Do you have any brilliant tips on this, for a group in the early stages?

I was not in the group when this was accomplished, but I can tell you that
they went to the Redevelopment Agency with their plan for a parcel of land
that the city was already bidding out to developers for mixed income
housing. Thus cohousing had to compete with the typical ugly housing that
they put up, and won. I'm not saying it was easy, but it is possible.

Other people have made a decision to keep a certain portion of the units, or
all of them, to a few basic designs, to save on economies of scale, used
less expensive finishes, etc. This is in contrast to the often very
individualized units that are expensive to build. Our homes are townhouses,
and use less land as another benefit. Others have pursued grants, with
apparently mixed results. (Could the person who sent me a partially written
email about grants send it to the group?)

Hopefully, the archives are really alot better now, and you could search
them for more ideas. I'm grateful about that, but I've been a little too
busy the past few days to check it out.

If by brilliant, you mean magic, then the answer is no. It takes some work.
I know not every group cares about it, I just wish that those that say they
did were willing to back it up more.

>
> Your dissatisfaction is totally valid, and the points you bring up are
> really important and clear.  I heard them even through your insulting and
> patronizing tone, which certainly doesn't make me want to listen to you.
> You've already painted me as the enemy and you probably don't have a clue
> who I am.
>
> I'm glad you got good off list responses, but I wish you had gotten them ON
> list.  I wish people would repost their questions that didn't get answered,
> and I wish people who are serious about economic diversity would talk about
> how to make it happen.

I am surprised that you can't understand why these people are afraid to
complain. But not everyone can be called insulting and patronizing and deal
with it. Maybe they think I'm doing okay all by myself.

But seriously, alot of people just don't bother because they are ignored. To
those of you who say I need specific examples, I say that the fact that you
don't remember them illustrates my point quite well enough, thank you.

And now I'm going to bring my writings on this subject to a close. I don't
have anything more original to say. This should by no means be interpreted
to mean I'm telling anyone else what to write or not write to the list.


--
Liz Stevenson
Southside Park Cohousing
Sacramento, California