Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Silver EcoCommunity’s demise, need info on cooperative households

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Mar 9, 2016, at 10:22 AM, Joanie Connors <jvcphd [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Recently, as an individual, I have purchased a large house with a little
> house to the side and 2 acres. More and more, it seems right to explore
> cooperative households, where individuals own a property cooperatively.

Definitely stay on the list. Many of the issues will be the same and you can 
learn a lot here. Though Fred always objects, I credit this list with being the 
main reason cohousing has flourished. This is where people can get advice and 
information usually on a moment to moment basis. 

All the publications mentioned would be helpful, including the Orsi work. 

Unless you have a core of compatible people to start with, you might want to 
start with roommates. If can be done egalitarian basis. It will give you a 
chance to see if this is what you want and support the property at the same 
time. In a smaller space it is more important to have compatibility than 
diversity — you just rub elbows more. That doesn’t mean diversity isn’t 
possible but everyone has to be committed to it adapting to the lifestyles and 
the varied aims of others.

There are many shared houses in DC and NYC, primarily because property is so 
expensive near the the epicenter where people work. It is not only less 
expensive but people can easily move on. BUT because there are so many people 
in these populations who are “the same,” professionals working for the 
government or large organizations, the combinations are easier to put together.

The other advantage is that in NYC and DC people often spend more time away 
from home than at home. They work long days, often travel, and eat dinner out. 
In your area there may be a very different lifestyle. The needs of people who 
work at home and want group dinners for socializing may not be compatible with 
the needs of those who come at 7 or 8:00 and don’t want to talk to anyone else 
for at least 12 hours.

I once knew a woman who bought a  large house when she was a graduate student 
and lived cooperatively by renting rooms to other students for years. She 
offered leadership and experience that kept things flowing nicely even though 
the population changed in part year to year. After a few years, she owned the 
house outright.

A woman who has lived in cooperative houses for years and I don’t know if she 
is still on the list is Tree Bresson who is in Eugene, Oregon. You might look 
at her website also. She has many handouts there but I don’t think she has 
written a book.

http://www.treegroup.info

Good luck,