Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Affordable Housing vs Low Income Households

[Kathryn McCamant (kmccamant]

Very very few existing cohousing communities have gotten any government 
subsidies. Government subsidies tend to come with a lot of restrictions, and we 
currently have very few subsidies for affordable housing in the US. Canada may 
be better. 

IMHO opinion, the easiest way to incorporate rentals into communities is to 
have some of your members and supporters with resources purchase several homes 
as long term rentals, with full community support. That said, it is important 
to understand that even that option will likely bring in a lower return as an 
investment than just buying an existing home down the road as a rental (no HOA 
dues, and no one to bother you about what you should or should not be doing as 
a landlord). Thus, for this to happen, the community really needs to support 
the investors willing to do it for the good of diversifying the economics of 
your community. 

If you are seeking government subsidies, I would recommend that you find a 
local affordable housing developer that understands current programs and where 
the money might be found. Then design your project around the requirements for 
those sources of funds. Trying to find your way thru the government subsidy 
maze the first time would defeat most people. 

Katie 
-- 
Kathryn McCamant, President
CoHousing Solutions

241B Commercial Street 

Nevada City, CA 95959

T.530.478.1970  C.916.798.4755

www.cohousing-solutions.com



 

On 12/30/19, 11:24 AM, "Cohousing-L on behalf of Lynne MARKELL" 
<cohousing-l-bounces+kmccamant=cohousing-solutions.com [at] cohousing.org on 
behalf of lmarkell [at] rogers.com> wrote:

    Kathryn, good to get your take on this.
    Do you have any suggestions for how to make cohousing more affordable or 
how to offer some more affordable options such as rentals?
    
    It seems that some projects are able to have get some government subsidies 
for a few units. I would recommend that these geographically specific programs 
be better documented so they can be shared with other jurisdictions.  If I had 
more details I could advocate for similar programs in Canada.
    
    Having worked in government relations, I found that bureaucrats and 
politicians were more willing to consider new programs if they had been 
successful elsewhere. Then the bureaucrats can question the people who 
admistered the specific programs. The more specific the  "ask", the better 
chance of success.
    I think the affordability conference should include a session on government 
subsidy programmes 
    Lynne 
    
    Lynne Markell, 
    Lmarkell [at] rogers.com
    (613) 842-5222
    
    
    
    On Dec 30, 2019, at 1:25 PM, Kathryn McCamant <kmccamant [at] 
cohousing-solutions.com> wrote:
    
    >> On Dec 30, 2019, at 11:58 AM, R Philip Dowds alt addr via Cohousing-L 
<cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
    > 
    >> I will say again:  We do NOT have an “affordable housing” problem.  What 
we have is a serious income inequality problem.  Trying to create affordable 
housing by cheapening the product — and cheapening it within the paradigm of 
the stand-alone single family dwelling — simply leads us further into the dead 
ends of the unsatisfactory (“mobile” homes) and the absurd (tiny houses).  If 
we combined more multi-family zoning with the progressive tax structure that 
served America so well in the ’50’s and ’60’s, the affordable housing problem 
would pretty much solve itself." 
    > 
    > I tend to agree with the above statement. As one who has done more 
cohousing development budgets than just about anyone, it drives me crazy what 
it cost for new construction today. And yet, on these cohousing projects no one 
is making big profits and most of the professionals could easily make more 
money doing other kinds of projects. Yes, people can adjust their expectations 
for how much space they need, but there is a limit on how much people will be 
willing to do that. 
    > 
    > Katie 
    > -- 
    > Kathryn McCamant, President
    > CoHousing Solutions
    > 
    > 241B Commercial Street 
    > 
    > Nevada City, CA 95959
    > 
    > T.530.478.1970  C.916.798.4755
    > 
    > www.cohousing-solutions.com
    > 
    > 
    > 
    > 
    > 
    > On 12/30/19, 9:26 AM, "Cohousing-L on behalf of Sharon Villines via 
Cohousing-L" <cohousing-l-bounces+kmccamant=cohousing-solutions.com [at] 
cohousing.org on behalf of cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
    > 
    >>> On Dec 30, 2019, at 11:58 AM, R Philip Dowds alt addr via Cohousing-L 
<cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
    >> 
    >> I will say again:  We do NOT have an “affordable housing” problem.  What 
we have is a serious income inequality problem.  Trying to create affordable 
housing by cheapening the product — and cheapening it within the paradigm of 
the stand-alone single family dwelling — simply leads us further into the dead 
ends of the unsatisfactory (“mobile” homes) and the absurd (tiny houses).  If 
we combined more multi-family zoning with the progressive tax structure that 
served America so well in the ’50’s and ’60’s, the affordable housing problem 
would pretty much solve itself.
    > 
    >    Very good point, Philip. And nicely said. 
    > 
    >    How would those who are trying to develop or find a place in cohousing 
use this understanding? For the cohousing movement, for the Association, it’s a 
good long term focus. Maybe even a good argument to be used on zoning boards? 
But what to do about the meeting with the bank next month?
    > 
    >    Sharon
    >    ----
    >    Sharon Villines
    >    Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
    >    http://www.takomavillage.org
    > 
    > 
    > 
    > 
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