Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: site & plans = less interest in associate status?

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Jul 11, 2009, at 11:35 AM, Kristi Barlow wrote:

>  Our cohousing professionals predicted
> the opposite: that securing a site and completing designs* would
> increase by a factor of 10 the number of people interested in our
> project. So I'm asking this list, what has been other forming
> communities' experience with having a site and designs, did it
> increase or decrease the # of associates joining your group?

I think you have your answer in your question. The experience is that  
people commit faster unless prices are now out of the range of  
reasonable, which sometimes happens to groups.

Do you have any incentives for joining now instead of later? Priority  
in choosing units? Lower prices?

Is it more related to the economy -- thinking prices will go down if  
they wait. Or there being a glut of apartments available now.

Have you tried asking them why? This seems like a very small thing,  
for example, but if I were at the point of making a commitment, I  
don't think I would want to be called an "Associate Member." I wonder  
if being called at least a "New Member" or something until they do  
whatever is required to become a member might help. Stuff like that  
sometimes will break loose at least a few people.

Are you careful to be transparent? Giving people full access to the  
group -- even if they don't participate in decision-making they are  
included in the group when it makes decisions.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org