Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: dues and an experimental structure

[Ruddick, T.R. (RUDDICK]

Here in Dayton OH we are in the very first stages of organizing.  We've met,
set up email discussion and web sites, assigned primary author for charter
documents and public relations, another member is shopping for attorneys,
another is coordinating our first public outreach meeting.  Four or five
households strong, so far!

We're kicking around an innovative idea--I'm wondering what people think of
this one.  Basically, we're thinking of organizing on two levels.

On one level, we're interested in an urban community, probably doing some
retrofit, probably working closely with existing Dayton OH urban renewal
authorities (one of our members has lots of key contacts at city hall and
other revitalization groups).  So we're going to do the typical sorts of
incorporation, buy-in, investment, meet-greet-eat-compete-complete
processes.

But on another level we think it might be good to organize a sort of
"umbrella" organization that could act as central resource/recruitment
organization for as many cohousing projects as our region would generate.
The thought process is that Dayton Cohousing, Inc., would be a cheap
organization to join and would require little active involvement by most
members: its function would be to publicize cohousing, recruit, advise,
consult, promote, and generate cohousing projects but not to actually build
or maintain them.  It would be run by a small elected board.  Our urban
retrofit would be the first affiliate; as we go along, others may want to do
lofts, suburban, rural, cheap, expensive, and other communities.  Each
community would operate independently.

A side benefit of having a cheap umbrella organization would be the
"foot-in-the-door" phenomenon--if people could join the interest group for,
say, $15.00 per year, then they'll feel an initial sense of
involvement--which will make them more committed to taking the next step and
actually forming a community.


SO: does this sound whacky to too many people here who have more practical
experience than I?  Where are the pitfalls that I'm not seeing?  Help help
help!
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