Cohousing-L Mailing List: Affordability?

[April (aroggio]

Greetings, all - 

 

First - thanks for sharing your wisdom - it has been both informative and a lot 
of fun to (mostly) lurk on this list over the past months.  I am part of a 
cohousing group in upstate New York - we have formally decided on Capital 
District Eco-housing (www.cdecohousing.org) and are well on our way to creating 
an ecovillage in the Albany region.  We have a vision and have most membership 
issues out of the way.  We are discussing a legal structure and outreach 
efforts are in full swing, with two open houses this month and two next month.  
We'd like to start looking for land this summer.

 

I have been considering how to phrase this question for over a month now.  I've 
decided to just be blunt and hope I won't offend anyone.

 

Are there any cohousing communities that are really affordable?  Not cohousing 
communities that have some sort of small "affordable" subsidized housing, but 
genuinely created by those of us that are middle income?  I have followed a 
number of cohousing-L member links back to their websites and have become 
increasingly worried about the costliness of these ventures.  I have found some 
units for sale that approach $700,000.  My group consists of several families - 
a half million dollar home is completely out of the question, as is $200,000 
for an undeveloped lot.  And, honestly, I just don't get it.  Shouldn't scale 
help here?  Am I being naïve?

 

I am very concerned that cohousing, like organics and a good education for your 
kids, is becoming a luxury good.  On the other hand, organic produce can be 
gotten locally, if you find the right farmer, and a good education doesn't mean 
school at all - so maybe there is affordable cohousing possibilities for us 
single-income-with-children families who really need it?  Am I just not looking 
hard enough?

 

I would love to hear your thought!  Thanks again,

 

April Roggio

Capital District Eco-housing

aroggio [at] nycap.rr.com