Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Resources for Very Small Group?

[Michael Barrett (mbarrett]

Sheila,
I hate to project any possible gloom and doom, but it happened (a lot of 
gloom, anguish, and a threatened lawsuit) to a cohousing community (a 
well-planned co-housing development with lots of structure?) that I lived 
in.
While finding an existing "perfect fit" legal structure would be very 
convenient for you, it is possible, and even probable, that it doesn't 
exist.  In which case, create your own.
But to do so you need to know rather precisely what you want and (more than 
slightly ominously) what you are prepared to put up with.  When that is 
determined then, I suggest, is the time to talk to lawyers to see if they 
are willing and able to "legalize" it for you. I say "if they are willing 
and able" because most lawyers are quite conservative and unimaginative, and 
much prefer to xerox existing boilerplate.
In saying  "knowing what you want and what you are prepared to put up with" 
I imply some very hard work of considering well past the "isn't it going to 
be great" stage to considering the "it'll never happen" instance of how the 
community will, in detail, handle disenchantment, divorce, disability and 
death.   Saying "we are such good friends we will work it out" may be unduly 
optimistic. Circumstances and people change, sometimes without apparent 
reason - and assets and debts can suddenly become very contentious.
When you have clear paths to handle the issues above (and others), and 
clearly defined responsibilities and consequences, then maybe is the time to 
find, or create, a legal structure that formalizes your intentions.

Michael Barrett
Shadowlake Village, Blacksburg ,VA  - where we enjoyed our Winter Saturdays 
Breakfast this morning and have rented the town (indoor!) pool for a pool 
party tonight - if it doesn't have to be cancelled by forecast snow!


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sheila Oakes" <sheila [at] crazycat.org>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 2:58 AM
Subject: [C-L]_ Resources for Very Small Group?


> First timer here...I am a part of a small group (five "families" -  single
> male, another single male, two families of 2 and a family of 4).  There 
> are
> 6 adults and 4 children.  We pounced on the opportunity to buy this land
> from the couple that lived here for decades and now we are dealing with
> trying to define our structure, etc. more than a year after the fact.