Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Seeking input on compassionate HOA calculation

[Michael Barrett (mbarrett]

This may be considered off topic in that it isn't about compassion (except
perhaps compassion for the needs of the community).

> From conversations with many cohousers, at conferences, and in communities I
have lived in and visited, I find myself wishing there was a practical way
to link HOA dues inversely with community participation.
The reason for living in cohousing is to enjoy community participation and
personal interactions. Those who do not participate are occupying homes that
could be occupied by "participators" and are thus reducing the number of
potential interactions. In that sense they can be considered to have a less 
than
positive value to the community.  HOA dues inversely related to
participation could help balance the "value" of all community members.
A friend of mine speculated (hopefully jokingly) that there is an inevitable
tendency in any cohousing community to drift from cohousing towards condo.
Perhaps a condo option could be offered to new owners, but with the
understanding that the "condo" HOA fee is prohibitively higher (say 5 to 10
times) than the "cohousing" HOA fee.
Yes, yes, I'm sure there a multitude of  legal (and practical) reasons why 
one couldn't do
that, but I'm searching for ideas.
Has any community tried to implement a change to a perceived situation of
declining and/or non-participation?

Michael Barrett
Shadowlake Village
Blacksburg VA  - where the guest rooms in the Common House are, with a large
measure of community labor and furnishing, almost complete.