Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: pre-built or owner built

[R Philip Dowds (rpdowds]

I can think of two possible disadvantages of the selling-off-lots model:

Forming a group to co-design and co-develop a community infrastructure is an 
enormous challenge, but many believe that struggling with this challenge helps 
bond the community.  (At least, if you succeed before your group blows apart 
...)
Single family homes are incredibly inefficient users of material, energy, and 
land — not to mention your own household resources.  Even if you are in a rural 
setting, there is much to be said for compressing your dwelling units into at 
least a row house format, living closer together, and reserving most of your 
property for either a natural or cultivated state.

Philip Dowds
Cornerstone Cohousing
Cambridge, MA

On Jun 19, 2011, at 5:17 PM, Deryk Wenaus wrote:

> 
> I'm involved with a forming cohousing group in Nelson BC and we're 
> contemplating two approaches to cohousing and seeking advice and experiences 
> from the cohousing community. 
> 
> What are the benefits and detractors for the standard cohousing model where 
> you plan everything out then build it all then move in vs an alternative 
> model of only selling lots to members and then people build their own houses. 
> 
> The setting would be in rural. 
> 
> I look forward to replies. 
> Deryk
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