Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: New Members

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

At RoseWind Cohousing, our legal set up is as a mutual benefit nonprofit 
(not a 501c3, just a generic nonprofit) with a homeowners association. 
Being a member, legally, is based on owning a property here. Much of this 
discussion on the list has had the focus of a sale or resale where you 
are in dialogue with the potential member, and can have them do various 
orientation steps. We do our utmost to orient potential members - WHEN we 
can be in contact with them. 

But the owner=member equation leaves open the possibility that we can 
have new members who
a) inherit a property
b) potentially buy from a member who becomes disgruntled or otherwise 
just wants out, and wants their money asap and couldn't care less about 
whether the new owner fits with the community
c) a member's estate, likewise just wanting to turn it to cash

This is our worry, and why we do our best to keep up the hospitality and 
communication to those who might someday be available to buy a resale 
quick before someone clueless does. 

At one point we had a "membership agreement" requirement, but it wasn't 
legally enforceable. Any member has the responsibilities of membership 
(mainly assessments and following rules). As we have it set up, they also 
have the rights of membership (participation in decision making, use of 
common facilities, for example). I don't think you can legally say that 
being an owner gives you the responsibilities, but not the rights. Or can 
you? 

Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing
Port Townsend Washington (Victorian seaport, music, art, nature)
http://www.rosewind.org
http://www.ptguide.com
http://www.ptforpeace.info (very active peace movement here- see our 
photo)
_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L