Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Seeking Examples of Cohousing Implementation Plans

[Katie Henry (katie-henry]

Hi Chris,

I'm afraid there's no such thing. Cohousing is not Ikea; every community is 
unique in a thousand different ways and there are no standard assembly 
instructions.

Your community is unusual in that it's an urban multi-family project built 
without any cohousing professionals. Most self-developed projects are 
lot-based, where each member builds their own house on their own timeline, 
often stretching out for years (decades), and there's not a lot of urgency or 
dependence on others. You're in the opposite position, months away from 
starting a massive construction project, future home for 45 households, 
compressed schedule, countless decisions to make. You're in uncharted territory.

You've read these books, right?

https://www.amazon.com/Cohousing-Handbook-Building-Place-Community/dp/0881791261
https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Cohousing-Building-Sustainable-Communities/dp/0865716722
https://www.amazon.com/Cohousing-Contemporary-Approach-Housing-Ourselves/dp/0898155398

Have you sent members to cohousing conferences? Those can be hugely valuable 
for forming communities. There are two in April -- one in Boulder and one in 
Vancouver.

http://cohousing.org/boulder2018
https://www.canadiancohousingconference.ca/

I'm curious what you meant by this: "I would like to know if any experienced 
Cohousing 
organizations have used strategic planning before and after offers to purchase 
units we accepted." I don't know what strategic planning means and I'm 
wondering how it would be applied to bringing members into the community. Are 
you rejecting offers to purchase?

Katie Henry

--------------------

Thanks Katie Henry . This is a great starting point . Our board members have 
been working on several of these aspects . Has anyone published a recent 
Cohousing guide on planning for move in . We are focusing on self- management 
and would like to keep our financial costs to a moderate level. I noticed that 
several people have asked this question in the list serve history.  Chris