Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Sweat Equity

[Forbes Jan (jan.forbes]

Elizabeth

I've considered the Habitat/sweat equity idea myself, as a way of addressing
the affordability issue.  However Habitat have only a small presence in
Australia so not a realistic prospect fur building cohousing here.  

While building your own sounds like a solution, there are still substantial
fixed costs involved in building your own home.  If built by an unskilled
person, costs can blow out e.g. there may be issues with local planning
authorities, things needing to be redone.  The work alone means it can take
a long time to get a house on the ground.  The finished product does not
necessarily look professional and may have ongoing problems.  And where do
you live in the meantime if your income and assets are tied up in the
construction project?  Would you be prepared to live long term in a caravan
or tent?  

Certainly possible to build your own at your age, and a great sense of
shared achievement if you get there, but also a huge effort for someone not
used to manual work, so a need to weigh up whether the sacrifices at an
older age would be worth it, versus other options like assistance from
government or a non-profit organisation or joining an existing community
that has a proportion of affordable rental units.

On your concluding point, being more sustainable, both socially and
environmentally, consensus based communities could well be more likely to
survive and flourish in the longer term, compared to other social groupings.

Jan

-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Cobb [mailto:lizacobb [at] earthlink.net]
Sent: Sunday, 6 July 2003 4:33 AM
To: cohousing-l
Subject: [C-L]_Sweat Equity



I am a recent fan of cohousing -- ......

What do you think, readers?

Liza Cobb



Message: 3
From: Sue Pniewski <SPniewski [at] Habijax.com>
To: "'cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org'" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Subject: RE: [C-L]_Sweat Equity and affordable housing
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 16:44:06 -0400
Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org

This sounds similar to Habitat for Humanity, which has also worked together
with a couple of cohousing groups.  We require 300 hours of sweat equity in
the homeowner's and other people's houses.  It gives the people a real
feeling of ownership and pride in their homes and allows many people who
would otherwise be unable to afford homeownership
 to realize a piece of the american dream.  For more information please see 

www.habijax.com   or  

http://www.habitat.org

-------------------------------------
Susan Pniewski, Esq.
General Counsel
Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville
904.798.2712  x202





-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica.E.Morey.02 [at] Alum.Dartmouth.ORG
[mailto:Jessica.E.Morey.02 [at] Alum.Dartmouth.ORG]
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2003 4:38 PM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: [C-L]_Sweat Equity and affordable housing



I just read an article in the Anchorage Daily News about a USDA Rural
Housing Service Program called SELF HELP HOUSING, which requires the home
owners to work 30 hours a week on the houses, pouring concrete, hammering
nails... everything cohousers seem to want to do.
The home owners qualify by being low income and having low debt.  There is
one developed community like this in Palmer Alaska and another just breaking
ground in Settler's Bay.
Sounded very much like cohousing- an added benefit described was knowing
your neighbors by the end of the project.
All those folks wondering about affordability should check this out.
Jessica
_________________


-- 
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