Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: contents of cohousing - non resident members

[Barbara Baatz (beejay.baatz]

Dear Mac,

I am applying for membership in a cohousing community and, as part of
the admission process, I have been asked to research how various
cohousing communities handle the resale of units.

In the process of looking at cohousing websites, I have stumbled on to
Heartwood's. I have been intrigued by the detailed information that exists
on your website which clearly delineates what is expected of the members.
It also has very detailed instructions for what a prospective member must
do before becoming a member. For example, among a myriad of activities you
offer prospective members the invitation to visit and to participate in
community life before making a commitment. Given Heartwood's unusual and
amazing setting. I understand that this is highly  desirable.

However, what I found regarding the selling or the renting of Heartwood
homes seemed to imply that the member is on his or her own. If I have
understood the information on your website correctly, the community has
such a comprehensive orientation process for potential new members that
only those who will integrate well into the  community will end up buying
or renting one of Heartwood's homes. Therefore, the community doesn't need
to be involved with the selling process per se. Rather, any prospective
buyer or renter will be well known by the community before the rental or
purchase is completed.

Is my understanding correct? If not, how is Heartwood involved in the
rental or selling of community homes?

Has the approach always worked or have you made course corrections over the
course of your 20 years of existence as a community?

If you are not the person I should direct this email to, I would appreciate
it if you would forward it to the person who could help me answer these
questions. Many thanks in advance for your help.

Bee Jay

p.s. I did find mention of a "Returning Member Checklist" which implies
someone has moved out but decided they were better off at Heartwood. It
must be an amazing community!

On Thu, Nov 12, 2020 at 9:42 AM Mac Thomson via Cohousing-L <
cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

> Whoops. Maybe I read it wrong / too quickly.
>
> We make no effort to limit participation of *non-resident* owners either.
> Maybe that’s because it hasn’t been a problem for us so far.
>
> --
> Mac Thomson
>
> Heartwood Cohousing
> Southwest Colorado
> http://www.heartwoodcohousing.com
>
>
> "Tae be yersel and tae mak that worth bein
>   Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien."
>                -Hugh MacDiarmid (Scotland)
> **********************************************************
>
>
>
> > On Nov 11, 2020, at 8:52 AM, Elizabeth Magill <pastorlizm [at] gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Isn't this question the opposite?
> > Does anyone limit the participation of *non-resident* owners?
> >
> > Liz
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 11, 2020 at 9:58 AM Mac Thomson via Cohousing-L <
> > cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org <mailto:cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>> 
> > wrote:
> >
> >> This is a curious conversation to me. We make no effort to limit renters
> >> in their participation in our community. In fact we welcome it and even
> >> require it — that is, we require renters to become community members,
> just
> >> like we require owners to become community members. What we don’t want
> is
> >> for people to be living here who are not engaged in the community.
> Before
> >> we built Heartwood, we toured other communities and saw that was a
> problem
> >> for some. They had renters who were simply there for the convenience and
> >> not participating in the community and that caused problems.
> >>
> >> All members here, whether renters or owners, are treated equally. They
> can
> >> participate in all decision making, are expected to complete the same
> work
> >> expectations, and are welcome at all community functions.
> >>
> >> For more info, check out our Membership agreement <
> >> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership.html>.
> >> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership.html <
> https://www.heartwoodcohousing.com/membership.html>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Mac Thomson
> >>
> >> Heartwood Cohousing
> >> Southwest Colorado
> >> http://www.heartwoodcohousing.com
> >>
> >>
> >> "A cult is a religion with no political power."
> >>           - Tom Wolfe
> >> **********************************************************
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Nov 10, 2020, at 6:48 PM, CJ Q <homeschoolvideo [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Hi all,
> >>> If non resident members are still paying dues and do not have residents
> >> in
> >>> their house, can the cohousing community legally limit what services
> the
> >>> non-resident uses? For example, can they still participate in certain
> >>> meetings and non-conflict resolution meetings?  At least to see how the
> >>> leader runs it to learn from them?  I"m wondering how much they can
> limit
> >>> someone.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks,
> >>> Carol
> >>> (house still up for rent - get to know the community before you move
> in,
> >> I
> >>> wish I had.  Some groups fit your personality better than others.)
> >>> _________________________________________________________________
> >>> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> >>> http://L.cohousing.org/info
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> _________________________________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > --
> > -Liz
> > (The Rev. Dr.) Elizabeth Mae Magill
> > Pastor, Ashburnham Community Church
> > Minister to the Affiliates, Ecclesia Ministries
> > www.elizabethmaemagill.com <http://www.elizabethmaemagill.com/>
> > 508-450-0431
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
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