Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Required handicap access to 2nd floor/elevator

[Racheli Gai (racheli]

Hi all,

I think that on the theoretical level, the idea that any kind of 
community excludes
by its very nature is true.  Whatever it is that a community decides to 
do, or to
refrain from doing - will have the consequence of attracting some and 
keeping
away others.  It's also true that the more expensive the enterprise, 
the more some
people are kept out because they can't afford to move in.
So, if affordability is number one consideration in the development of 
a given
community, and to keep the price rock-bottom it's decided not to put in 
an
elevator, I can accept it (perhaps).  Or at least I understand the 
logic, and can
see how low costs  keep people in who might be out otherwise.

But, so far - all cohousing communities I've seen or heard about are 
very much
middle class, and not even lower middle-class.  Each one of them 
includes things
which are way past necessity (and which can be described as luxuries - 
even though
I noticed that many people in the US think as "necessity" of things 
which would
definitely not be seen as such in many other places in the world)...
In this context, not having an elevator, or ignoring accessibility 
issues in other ways
is completely about values, not about affordability.

One more point about accessibility (which I'd made in the past, but 
would like to
reiterate) :  Choice of materials; choice of whether to use pesticides, 
the nature of the cleaning
substances used, what kind of food we serve at common meals, etc. - are 
about accessibility  too.

And in the case of using non/low toxic materials, the benefits ARE for 
all - even though people
who don't have acute reaction don't easily understand that 
breathing/ingesting toxic substances
hurts them, too,  in ways which might only be obvious in the long run.

Racheli.




On May 9, 2008, at 6:42 AM, Sharon Villines wrote:

> On May 9, 2008, at 8:24 AM, Ellen Keyne Seebacher wrote:
>
> > Please don't assume that you and yours will *always* be able-bodied.
>
> Most people are just unaware of this issue. One thing, however, after
> living with accessibility is that I quickly became very used to it.
> Everyone appreciates it. Everyone. It is just easier to live without
> schlepping groceries and two kids upstairs or the laundry downstairs.
>
> Washington DC is almost totally accessible. All the museums, the
> Metro, the streets, etc. I recently went to Des Moines to visit family
> and was shocked the lack of accessibility. So when you get used to it
> you really notice when it isn't there. It really changes life
> depending on whether you have it or don't have it.
>
> And a caution -- once you move in, unless you have the money in the
> bank, it is very hard to get changes or more money for anything. The
> status quo kicks in very fast. And with consensus decision-making you
> just never get it.
>
> "Never" is probably too strong but it's very hard. Do it now. The
> costs only go up.
>
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing,Washington DC
> http://www.takomavillage.org
>
>
>
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