Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Affordable Cohousing

[Kerry Strayton (kstrayton]

Where do I sign up for this Adorable Housing? It sounds wonderful.Kerry Strayton
      From: Crystal Farmer <crystalbyrdfarmer [at] gmail.com>
 To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org 
 Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2015 5:21 AM
 Subject: [C-L]_ Affordable Cohousing
   

Re: affordable cohousing/developer model

What are some ways to encourage people to create low income cohousing? I
figure it will need people from people who work in adorable housing as well
as the people who would live in those communities. But like the example,
those people often lack the skills to organize people and the
time/resources to participate in building community. Not to mention the
money to invest! How do you reach people where they are and keep them
interested in the movement?

Crystal Farmer
Charlotte Cohousing Community

(From Sharon's post)

"A woman in DC wanted to have low income cohousing so she could have enough
room to adopt a child. She lived with a roommate in a rent-controlled
apartment. She worked but at a low government wage. But when she began to
publicize her interest it attracted middle class people who wanted a
minimum of three bedrooms with a dining room or den, basement, etc. A condo
to brag about even if it is in one of "those places."

This was totally the opposite of what the woman started the group for and
she felt they had not only edged her out but had taken over her project.
They were totally sincere when they said they would accommodate her needs,
too, but she could see that they didn?t understand low income housing or
her needs. In addition to marker rate housing, they were committed to
social ideals when she still needed a place to live as an adult and as an
adult with a child. On the hierarchy of needs they were in totally
different places.

But she also did not have the skills to negotiate the bureaucracy of
subsidized housing or organizations like Habitat for Humanity. That?s what
she needed help with ? not to be concerned a broom closet in every kitchen
or a formula for the racial mix of the community.

The low income end of cohousing has begun to get attention, at least on the
west coast, but it needs more. It needs strategies like the ones that have
emerged on how to deal with developers."
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