Re: Affordable Foray
From: donna ellis (donnasutralocal2global.org)
Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 13:44:01 -0600 (MDT)
Casey,

You are absolutely right about prices here.    The folk who made those
comments, or agreed with them, are people seriously interested in
co-housing, but feel priced out.  They would be considered middle-class+
anywhere but LA.  Here, you need a great deal of income to buy in the
neighborhood where you might be renting.

Several groups in LA are trying to put together cohousing communities, but
the property and construction costs are outrageous.  To move away from LA to
an existing or forming cohousing community, requires finding a new job.
Non-owning options for co-housing arrangements carry the risk of losing the
property and, therefore, your home.  Also, what if the property owner
defaults on their payment?

BTW, at first glance, it does seem odd that residents of LA would think of
any place else (or any other population group) as trendy or clique-like.
The perception vs. reality of the majority who live in LA, and why they
stay, has amazed me and often broken my heart.  Many elderly, who are
life-long residents, live below the poverty line.  There is a large
community of artists.  A lot of social/political activists live here. Many
immigrants.  Also, many people come here because of a job, then get laid
off.  Most who can barely afford to live here, also cannot afford to move
away.  

I really appreciate the input I've received on this topic, on and off list.

Peace,
Donna Ellis

> From: "Casey Morrigan" <cjmorr [at] pacbell.net>
> Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 16:18:40 -0800
> To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: RE: [C-L]_Affordable Foray
> 
> 
> I was thinking one reason affordability was such a hot topic was that,
> especially in California, the market is such that homeownership is tough to
> achieve.
> 
> It's interesting that someone from the LA area would think that cohousing
> could become trendy - because there's not much cohousing there.  Maybe in
> the future.  Anyway, bring it on - I'd love to see it become a trend and
> popular. Maybe - it would get cheaper!  Volume pricing.
> 
> I'd say our community does have some characteristics of a clique (we do know
> each other better than we know our other neighbors and we do spend time with
> each other) and some open boundaries that are not clique-like (reaching out
> to our nearby neighbors, inclusive meals, social events open to many, open
> and unclique-like attitudes).
> 
> Casey Morrigan
> Two Acre Wood
> Sebastopol California
> 
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
>> [mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org]On Behalf Of donna ellis
>> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 1:35 PM
>> To: cohousing L
>> Subject: [C-L]_Affordable Foray
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Found it interesting to see how the list's conversation just
>> took off on the
>> topic of affordability.  A number of people I've spoken to
>> (here in Los
>> Angeles area) seem concerned that co-housing will suddenly
>> become trendy and
>> clique-ish.  One striking remark was that they'd become a
>> 'series of yuppie
>> enclaves.'
>> 
>> Would anyone be interested in exploring the possibility of
>> putting together
>> an intentionally affordable community?  Where there's a
>> niche, there's a
>> way.  If you'd like to discuss further, please contact me and we can
>> brainstorm.
>> 
>> Donna Ellis
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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