Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Designing gathering spaces

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 23 Apr 2012, at 4:50 PM, Nessa Dertnig wrote:

> Any input on the designing of nodes/gathering spaces and yards, including
> when it's appropriate to do it, as well as how it's best done (few-hour
> long workshop by all members? land use committee coming up with a
> preliminary plan and opening it up to community comments and changes?
> etc.?), would be greatly appreciated!

In sociocracy the solution is "both and."

We have been moved in for almost 12 years and are dealing with this now so I do 
have some insights and experience to share. Our LCEs, limited common elements 
that are not owned but reserved for the exclusive use of one condominium unit, 
were confusingly defined. Each of our legal documents defines them differently.

First advice is to define LCEs clearly. The most clear is a map with labels. 
Words can mean many things years later — "But what we meant to say was…." isn't 
helpful when new people see it differently.

Second is to charge for them. In DC the default cost of basement space, for 
example, is ⅕ that of the SF of the unit. So if the cost per SF of an interior, 
exclusively owned space is $5 a month, the cost of exclusive use of basement 
space would be $1 a month per SF.

Our definitions of grass and garden land were the most unclear and impractical. 
People who live in a townhouse style unit with land out front and out back that 
no one else would use because it feels like personal space, expect to have free 
use of that space, including planting whatever they please. Some also want to 
fence in their backyards for pets and children. Since the backside of their 
yards is a fence bounding the community land, this creates a problem for other 
households. The only access to the yards would be through their units — as in 
lawnmowers through the living room.

This land also adds to the value of these properties. But they use it and don't 
pay for it in their condo fees. We are currently in the process of looking at 
this and making clearer distinctions just so we know what belongs to whom and 
what they have exclusive right to and what they are responsible for 
maintaining. Who pays for private decks and balconies being sealed, repaired, 
and replaced? Is this done on a workday or is it private responsibility? There 
is wide variation in the size and cost of maintaining LCEs, and we have no 
rules for how they are maintained. Some unit have no LCEs — no private space 
outside their units.

Some of us believe units should pay for land at some rate comparable to 
basement space. This will both reduce monthly fees for units without such 
access and encourage those who have it to restrict requests for exclusivity. 
The problem after 12 years will be charging for what they now use free.

So I recommend:

1. Establish a cost _now_ for whatever exclusive space people end up with.

2. Let demarcations float until a year after _everyone_ has moved in so you 
have some guidelines based on what feels right and all households have an 
opportunity to do this. (Famous case of Indiana University where they didn't 
put in sidewalks until they could see where people actually walked.)

3. Clearly mark the space people are claiming as theirs in some temporary way. 
Some people have no sense of boundaries. You can argue till doomsday whether 
this is conscious or unconscious but they will use any space that is not 
clearly and firmly denied to them. "Empty"' means "mine." Protect yourself 
against people who don't want any demarcations and say everything should be 
free. They mean free to them.

4. Hold ongoing discussions about how people are feeling about the divisions. 
This is harder than it sounds. It's easy to forget because you will be avoiding 
conflict either because there is conflict or you think let sleeping dogs alone.

Unless you have a map with these spaces clearly defined, owners will also 
convey false information to the next buyers of their unit, telling them that 
certain land is "theirs." Not every buyer understands how to read their deed 
and the community documents well enough to understand that this is not true. 
They need a picture. One community allowed a unit to fence in common land in 
order to protect the rest of the community from their dog. The owners moved out 
and told the new owners it was their land. How does the community now tear down 
the fence and say not so when the new owners bought the unit expecting a fence 
yard for their own dog?

Self-regulation in communities is a problem. Everyone wants to avoid conflict. 
Anyone who raises these issues will be labelled a troublemaker. "Live and let 
live." But the people who are expanding into community space will not 
necessarily be seen as the people causing the conflict.

Good luck. It sounds like an exciting time,

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