Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: [C-L] Developer Driven Cohousing

[Fred H Olson (fholson]

Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net>
is the author of the message below. 
It was posted by Fred the Cohousing-L list manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org> 
because the message included HTML ;      PLEASE do not post HTML, see
   http://csf.colorado.edu/cohousing/2001/msg01672.html
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On Wed, 14 Aug 2002  Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net>:

Gosh Emily I don't recall if this question has been asked exactly like
this in the past or not so I don't know what the archives would have as
resources. 

I supposed there are many forms of "developer driven" cohousing.  In the
iteration here at Takoma Village, the developer, Don Tucker of Eco Housing
Corp. had heard about cohousing from one of his architects.  He found this
site and decided he wanted to tr y out this interesting idea. 

Don hired me to form the group and create the community.  The site was
already under contract when we started the group. (Thank goodness -- site
acquisition has to be one of the more difficult parts of developoment.)

As Eco began its pre-development work on the site I recruited prospects
from various venues and organized the future participants.  The group then
organized itself into various teams including a Design Team which met w/
Don and the architects frequently o ver the life of the development.  Eco
also had preliminary design sketches that help get the ball rolling. (It
didn't roll too far before it rolled right into the Historic Preservation
folks who had significantly different ideas -- you don't have as much
control over your project as you think!)

We really began the process of interacting w/ the professional team from
the beginning.  The input for the design of the bricks n' mortar went from
the group to the DT or more frequently from the DT to the group and back
again, to Don. 

The group's chief responsibility was marketing and outreach.  We had a
goal of 75% sell through by groundbreaking which we achieved.  (As I
remember, the last person signed a contract minutes before we started the
celebration!) 

The community also worked on the by-laws, finance issues, etc. 

So really, the group was involved in the development process right from
the beginning. 

Another developer driven model is where the group is already formed and
creates a contract w/ a developer to build a community for them. 
Sometimes this model also includes the group having found a site. 

I'm sure there are other variations on developer driven.  I wonder if
others can share their information on this? 

Emily -- I'd like to know more about you and if you have a group? 
Starting a group?  Where are you located in the world? 


Ann Zabaldo
 
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC. -- America's
Hometown! 
zabaldo [at] earthlink.net

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: emily wilson 
  To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 2:23 PM
  Subject: [C-L]_Re: Cohousing-L digest, Vol 1 #592 - 3 msgs


  Ann,

  What does it mean for a cohousing developement to be "developer driven"? 
I'm new to the whole thing, but it seems that one of the core principles
of cohousing is occupant participation in developement from the very
beginning; how does this work with a developer?  I'm curious to learn more
since it seems like having a developer involved would help offset some of
the risk intially involved in purchase of a site and construction - a risk
that seems to be a prohibitive factor for many people I talk to. 

  Would I find the info your referring to in the archives? 

  A total newbie,

  Emily


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