Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Community ownership of a rental property

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 2 May 2012, at 11:25 AM, John Carver wrote:

> I'm perceiving the unit being owned by the strata corporation (HOA to 
> you) and therefore we would collectively be the landlords and 
> responsible for all of the above. Of course we'd need to have people 
> willing to take on those roles.

It seems you have worked out assigned duties, but in general groups do not take 
on responsibility well. I once asked why no one on a team had responded to an 
email request. I was told that no one was responsible for responding. I hadn't 
addressed anyone specifically and no one had taken on that job. No response 
because no one had to respond.

The whole group can be the owners, collectively, but tasks and the coordinating 
role have to be assigned. Where does the buck stop? If a community is making an 
upfront decision to rent a unit on a continuing basis, it needs to resolve that 
question.

Someone also has to be the person who notices that a problem might be 
developing even if no one complains. 

> Renting has brought in young 
> families and people who simply don't have the means to purchase. 

Have you been able to institute any rent-to-buy programs?

One of the sad things that has almost happened to renters here is that they are 
wonderful tenants but the owners eventually move back. Soi far we've been 
fortunate that another unit has become available and move in, move out, and 
return dates have been adjustable, but some day, they might not be.

Since your units are HOA owned, this might happen when you sell a unit.

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