Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: limited-access events in common space

[Fred H Olson (fholson]

PattyMara Gourley <pmgourley [at] gmail.com>
is the author of the message below.  It was posted by
Fred, the Cohousing-L list manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org>
(many quotes deleted)
--------------------  FORWARDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS --------------------

As a lefthander and former redhead, I thought I'd chime in.  At Tierra Nueva
(Central CA Coast) we have addressed issues of private use of public spaces,
and over the years have become comfortable with our consensed policy
allowing private use.  The policy includes who's responsible for clean up
and parking, and it has worked quite smoothly.  At the very beginning of our
move-in time eleven years ago, we were more protective of our brand new
sparkly common house, and had to wrestle with some feelings of
'inclusion/exclusion' but it has gotten easier with time.  Most events are
open to all, but some are not, since they are interest-based, as Rob
described.  It can be more poignant when the interest group is shared by
just residents, because it does tug at some when they feel excluded.  These
underlying feelings must be addressed with compassion,  AND it feels
important to me to continue to advocate for clear boundaries about
private/interest group use in our common house and studio workshop.

coheartedly,
PattyMara

-- 
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