Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing communities and tax-exemption, 501c3

[Bob Leigh (bobleigh]

On the other hand . . .

Both of the cohousing communities in Cambridge, Massachusetts were required
to include "affordable" units, which have special deed restrictions and are
overseen by the city.

But due to this, at one stage in its development, Cornerstone was able to
obtain a very-low-interest loan from the Massachusetts Housing Investment
Corporation (MHIC) -- because MHIC is a non-profit with a mission that
involves promoting affordable housing!

So building cohousing in itself is not a public service, but it's possible
(and in some places mandatory) to incorporate a public service into the
development of a specific cohousing project.

Bob Leigh
Cornerstone Village Cohousing
Cambridge, Mass.




On Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 9:13 AM, Sharon Villines <sharon [at] 
sharonvillines.com>
wrote:

>
>
> > On Jun 15, 2015, at 10:04 PM, Ken Winter <ken [at] sunward.org> wrote:
>
> Counter questions:
>
> > 1. We wouldn't have to pay taxes.
>
> All citizens should pay taxes in order to support the infrastructure,
> crime prevention, emergency services, etc. So not paying taxes should be
> reserved for those who contribute to the public welfare in the same way the
> fire department does. Taxing the fire department would be self-defeating.
>
> > 2. Donors could get tax write-offs.
>
> Why would anyone donate to a cohousing community?
>
> > 3. We could get grants.
>
> For what? Grants go to programs for the public. Cohousing isn’t public.
>
> > 4. Companies might offer price breaks for goods or services that would be
> > useful to us.
>
> Which comes back to why would anyone think a condominium, however
> wonderful, would deserve lower prices than other communities?
>
> These are rhetorical questions that just point out that cohousers are
> doing wonderful things for themselves and their friends, not the general
> public. If a cohousing community is doing something for the general public,
> like offering free meeting space or gardening space, then that program
> could be incorporated as a non-profit (cost $65 in DC) and apply for 501c3
> status. But it would have to be a truly public educational or charitable
> service.
>
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
> http://www.takomavillage.org
>
>
>
>
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