Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: including interested people int the process

[Jack & Carolyn Salmon (2salmon]

Hi All,

Quimper Village folks started meeting in the summer of 2014. We will begin 
moving in this month — 3 1/2 years.   We have two General Meetings a month of 
all members and interested parties and many teams that meet anywhere from 
weekly to monthly.   We consider it essential that people who indicate interest 
attend our meetings and participate in discussions.  This is how they get to 
know us and we get to know them.  This is how they find our what is going on 
and if they like the way we operate.  If they indicate interest in becoming 
associate members they must then attend a general meeting, a team meeting and 
some other event (meetings or social stuff) and pay $500 application fee.  They 
have a voice in discussions but not a “vote”.  When they decide to join and 
commit to purchasing a home, they become ‘voting' members.   

There are lots of ways to finance the  pre-construction part of your 
development - some that rely only on all or some members' money, some that 
involve investors.  A good cohousing development consultant will provide you 
lots of information and help with financing.

I urge you to work quickly.  Too long a time building your people community and 
too long a development time can kill your project. Folks have lives to live and 
just can’t hang around year after year waiting for something to happen.  They 
will start to drop out and then you have to recruit again.  The economics 
change, costs go up, professionals - consultants, architects, contractors wear 
out on the project and move on, so you have to start over.

Carolyn Salmon
Quimper Village, Port Townsend WA