Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Should cohousers rebuild (or redesign) the wheel

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

I would hope you could continue the discussion on low cost housing 
here. I think also that many of us would be much happier with out huge 
mortgages, etc. The move toward green has also meant a move toward 
expensive. Talking about construction methods that produce sound but 
inexpensive housing would be very helpful.

I suspect these will be cheaper to do by renovating already existing 
housing. I had a friend in the 1980s who lived in a huge slumlord 
building in Manhattan in a very rough neighborhood. it was rent 
controlled and filled with tiny apartments of mostly actors who paid 
$150 a  month. The building was abandoned for taxes -- the landlord 
wouldn't pay them the the city took over. The residents actually got 
together and bought the building by getting HUD funds and government 
backed mortgages.

The need is for keeping the costs low as a central aim of the group. 
People always get carried away with beautiful design or the latest 
technology and the prices escalate.

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