Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: recruitment screening and rentals

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Mar 13, 2013, at 1:42 PM, matt lowe <mattwglowe [at] gmail.com> wrote:

> 2)  Some of our members want to build rental suites.  Rentals can reduce
> the financial burden on the members and allow them to invite family members
> to move in.  On the flip side, rentals use community resources and provide
> a financial advantage for only some of the community members.

Why would rental units be any more of an advantage to owners or a drain on the 
community than any other resource? The owners would be paying monthly fees 
based on the total square footage owned (or whatever measure you use) and the 
renters would be participating in the community if they use community 
facilities.

I resolved not to weigh in on community members but will say this -- (1) 
require work from the beginning, (2) give feedback regularly (ie, speak up), 
and (3) require mortgage-worthiness from the start. When you ask something of 
people and expect results, you establish a standard. People who are 
non-functioning or have different goals will sort themselves out. 

Focus on the requirements of the job, whether it is party enjoyment or real 
estate development or people support, and leave people be. This also requires 
you to determine what you want/need and to ask for it. 

"Difficult" is in the eye of the beholder. Some of the people who make me 
cringe are the very people others think are the soul of the community.  And it 
changes. People who seem difficult to you today may be your most admired 
neighbors tomorrow. Focus on what needs to get done to get your community up 
and running.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines

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