Cohousing-L Mailing List: Making policy during COVID and COVID transitions

[fernselzer (fernselzer]

Hi all, 
Our community, New Brighton Cohousing in Aptos, CA has recently been 
transitioning into more usage of the common house, after many months of minimal 
usage.  We are also having more community activities.     I am imagining that 
we will  need to keep gradually transitioning and changing our usage rules.  I 
am wondering how  we can have a more fluid approach to policy change that 
actually works and does not burden people with too many emails and 
conversations, etc.
We have been making decisions by the whole community, which has made any 
transitions really slow.  So....some people had loosened up in anticipation as 
things felt safer, while others were careful to follow the rules until formally 
changed, which led to some bad feelings between those groups.  Other 
discomforts were for those with preexisting conditions or older; not trusting 
that  rules are being followed by others caused them to be more withdrawn or 
reluctant to participate in community activities.
I'm thinking you are all having similar issues to navigate and I request any 
thoughts or suggestions.
Thanks,
Fern