Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Calculating the Cost of Building Affordable Housing

[Brian Bartholomew (bartholomew.brian]

> You're the developer now, with full control over your costs and rents.

Full control?  Ok, then I'll decide to install premanufactured Katrina
cottages with a shotgun shack floorplan, the best ones which cost only
$60K, are LEED certified, and don't offgas formaldehyde to the
interior.  Wait, that's illegal!  I don't have full control.  The city
council says I can't do Katrina cottages because it will lower
property values.  Yes it will, that was the whole point.

The web spreadsheet is a magician's forced choice, because the only
legislative change allowed is to raise taxes.  If you want affordable
housing, elect a local legislature that will permit lowering property values.

Brian