Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: [C-L] Common house design, rooms, and room sizes?

[Emilie Parker (emilie.v.parker]

I posted to Peter in the inequality string.

-----------------
Emilie Parker
emilie.v.parker [at] gmail.com
303-317-4558 main
240-350-8533 cell

On Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 10:30 AM, Peter Goldstein <
peterhansgoldstein [at] gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Have you verified that you have input on the process of filling your
> county-affordable units?
>
> I assume you'd want equal interest and participation in the community from
> people no matter what their income is. If your county is like ours, though,
> their standard practice is to fill affordable units without any sort of
> consultation with the rest of the development. In the case of cohousing,
> that means there is no mechanism for affordable-qualifying members of the
> development group to get preference for those units. It has also meant the
> folks chosen are not only uninterested, but *unaware* that they're moving
> into cohousing. Can cause problems down the road, especially if you place
> requirements on members.
>
> This is county by county and they'll most likely be reasonable, but make
> sure they know that you either have the option to prefer your own folks or
> the opportunity to let those chosen by the county know what they'd be
> getting into.
>
> On Mon, Feb 9, 2015 at 7:09 PM, Emilie Parker <emilie.v.parker [at] gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > The affordable homes and affordable rentals would be subsidized by the
> > County Dept of Health and Human Services.  They have existing systems and
> > programs that our people would have to qualify for.
> >
> > -----------------
> > Emilie Parker
> > emilie.v.parker [at] gmail.com
> > 303-317-4558 main
> > 240-350-8533 cell
> >
> > On Sun, Feb 8, 2015 at 2:01 PM, Jerry McIntire <jerry.mcintire [at] 
> > gmail.com
> >
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Thanks Sharon, nice summary of some of your important observations on
> > > common houses.
> > >
> > > Jerry
> > >
> > > Jerry McIntire
> > > Stone's Throw Ecovillage, in the heart of Wisconsin's beautiful
> Driftless
> > > region
> > > http://stonesthrowcommunity.wordpress.com/
> > > 1-608-637-6620
> > >
> > > On Sun, Feb 8, 2015 at 8:31 AM, Sharon Villines <
> > sharon [at] sharonvillines.com
> > > >
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > On Feb 8, 2015, at 8:25 AM, Douglas McCarroll <
> > > > list.cohousing-l.001 [at] brightworks.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Then we learned that other aspects of our project (site
> > infrastructure
> > > in
> > > > > particular) are going to cost more than we'd estimated, and are
> > facing
> > > > the
> > > > > prospect of unit prices going up ~10% on average. So now we're
> trying
> > > to
> > > > be
> > > > > creative and look at all possible avenues for cost reduction.
> > > >
> > > > I would say don't skimp on quality and storage. Storage saves a lot
> of
> > > > floor and surface space. At Blueberry Hill I was envious of wall of
> > > shelves
> > > > behind folding doors that opened all the way - and with floor space
> in
> > > > front of the shelves for a stepping stool and things that don't fit
> on
> > > > shelves.
> > > >
> > > > I just found this one this morning -- drawers in the stairs risers.
> It
> > > > makes me wish I had stairs.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.houselogic.com/photos/home-improvement/7-storage-solutions-you-didnt-know-you-had/slide/stairway-to-storage-heaven/
> > > >
> > > > Don't build for "I would love to have" unless the people are
> currently
> > > > participating in what they love to do. A yoga room for people who
> have
> > > > never done yoga but always wanted to, for example.
> > > >
> > > > Remember that you have to clean all that space. Any effort saved in
> > > > housekeeping in a smaller unit will be doubled by maintenance of more
> > CH
> > > > and grounds space. Living in cohousing is not like living in an
> > > apartment;
> > > > it's like living in a house with all the weekend work and annual
> costs
> > to
> > > > maintain it.
> > > >
> > > > I was impressed by a recent visit to Cornerstone by the sense of
> > > > spaciousness in their stairways and entrance halls. This can be more
> > > > important on a daily basis than extra square footage in a dining room
> > > that
> > > > then looses it sense of intimacy to become a dining hall the size of
> a
> > > > small food court. On the rare occasions when you have half again as
> > many
> > > > people as seats, people will spread out in the CH. This is even more
> > > > pleasant actually because it also spread the noise of conversation.
> > > >
> > > > Last, once you have a facility, people will be loath to give it
> > up--even
> > > > if only 3 people ever use it.
> > > >
> > > > And next to last, don't skimp on acoustics. We forget this because in
> > > > homes we don't need special treatments. We have rugs. In common
> spaces
> > > used
> > > > by many people, rugs are not usually cost effective. Annual cleaning,
> > and
> > > > often semi-annual cleaning, is not cost effective.
> > > >
> > > > Sharon
> > > > ----
> > > > Sharon Villines
> > > > Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
> > > > http://www.takomavillage.org
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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