Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Maintaining affordability

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

Since most cohousers (If not all) are financially and emotionally 
exhausted from 5 or more years of money and time invested to get 
projects built, the additional requirement that homes cannot appreciate 
at market rate is one that would discourage even further the 
development of cohousing. Who would do it?

The theory behind home ownership is that it is a "leg up" for those who 
are willing to invest the time to care for a home -- a considerable 
commitment in time and labor, and usually limited funds. It is also the 
only investment most people make. With all the hype about investing and 
401Ks and retirement, one's home remains the only significant 
investment for most people. Without the ability to sell at market rates 
they have nothing except social security and pension funds (that are 
not under their control and thus offer tenuous security).

As one form of social and economic development, cohousing has the 
ability to help low income households build financial security by 
offering them the same supports -- and risks -- of other households.

Before people invest either time or  money in  shelter, they have to 
have occupancy guarantees. Ownership is the best way to do this. Once 
you limit ownership and  the rights and opportunities that go with it, 
you also limit investment of time and  money on the part of the 
occupants.

Experience with various forms of rent control, subsidized housing, 
etc., has not been good. Rather than limiting ownership or trying to 
control markets, the better alternative would seem to be in

1. developing building materials and methods that allow homes to be 
built inexpensively,
2. allowing smaller homes (often a zoning issue)
3. focusing developments on less expensive designs such as apartments 
as opposed to lot development with free standing homes.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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