Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: renters

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

At RoseWind Cohousing, we've each designed our own house, and especially 
because many of us are situated on a slope, giving us daylight basements, 
we have some rentable apartments included in some of our homes. (What 
used to be called "mother in law" or "granny" flats, more neutrally 
called Accessory Dwelling Units.) 

Owners are free to rent as they choose. Renters are welcome to 
participate, and some do. But others just keep to themselves. We haven't 
had any of our whole houses rented out, but an owner would also be free 
to do that. We've had a couple of swaps, too.

Rentals have caused no problems, and have enriched our diversity. My 
basement renter is an operatic singer/coach who has now given voice 
lessons to 6 of our residents. 

We also have an itinerant member. He jokingly calls himself the RoseWind 
Houseboy. Originally the live-in partner of a member, he made close 
friends with many of us, which survived their break up, and her later 
moving to another town. Now he house-sits for a month here and a month 
there, as various members travel, and in between times lives in the room 
vacated by my boarding-school daughter. He's been here ---somewhere -- 
for maybe three years. He participates in all our social and work 
gatherings, including cooking. He probably did more volunteer work on 
both our common house, and our two Habitat houses, than the majority of 
our owner-members. 

Renters don't pay association fees. Though our dear itinerant made a 
voluntary contribution to the fund, even. What a jewel!


Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing
Port Townsend Washington (Victorian seaport, music, art, nature)
http://www.rosewind.org
http://www.ptguide.com

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