Cohousing-L Mailing List: Cohousing as Community vs. Investment

[E L Cobb (a_momcat]

Having found John's and Brian's posts to be quite civil and raising very valid 
questions, I am surprised at the energy level of some of the responses.  Could 
it be that the questions are hitting too close to home?

I unsubscribed from this list back in 2004 after a similar flurry of emotions.  
The topic was on subsidizing lower-income families so that they too could 
participate in cohousing.  One person said that s/he didn't care to use her 
hard-earned money subsidizing lazy people -- that this was *America* and anyone 
who was willing to work hard enough could succeed, just as s/he did!  As if 
everyone in this country was born onto a level playing field.  After my initial 
excitement over the cohousing philosophy, I decided that cohousing was just 
another form of gated community, to keep the have-nots out of the neighborhood 
while sounding like a wonderful movement concerned with diversity, 
sustainability, community, and true love of and concern for the environment.  
And then I discovered a new group forming outside of Ithaca who really seem to 
live the cohousing philosophy, who don't just talk the talk but walk the walk.  
So I resubscribed.

I hasten to add, before people pounce on me, that I am sure that there are 
other communities out in cohousing land who also walk the walk; who are more 
concerned with inclusivity than they are about the value of their property 
going down; and I hope that one day these communities will be the rule rather 
than the exception.

Liza
Looking for a place to call home