Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Voluntary Community Participation?

[Lisa Kuntz (lisa.kuntz]

Participation is a fraught topic in almost every coho community, so
workshops are offered at most National Coho Conferences.

The founding principle of "no one is required to work" sounds like an
invitation to a free ride, not encouragement to actively  engage and
participate.  If new members arrive with the expectation that participation
is optional, they may not realize that their efforts have a monetary value
as well as social value.  They may not see the connection between enjoying
low HOA fees and the voluntary participation that makes them possible. They
may not be aware that a self-managed community requires an investment in
the welfare of the community and that there are consequences for the
physical and social structure of the community when they choose to not
participate or engage.

In my community, that is very clear about the "rewards and responsibilities
of living in cohousing", we have a core of members that works very hard to
keep our community thriving at all levels.  What we do about
non-participation or minimal participation is a hot topic. We have a
suggested range of volunteer hours; some of us give far more, some far too
little. We are fortunate that wonderful new members are moving in who
sought out cohousing, understand what it means to be in a self-managed
community, and that the rewards and connections of cohousing are the
outcome of active participation.

I look forward to other replies!

Lisa Kuntz
Daybreak Cohousing
Portland OR



On Wed, Jan 4, 2023 at 4:11 AM Ed Sutton via Cohousing-L <
cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

> Eno Commons’ founding principles include “voluntary participation,” i.e.
> no one is required to participate in the work of caring for the community,
> and there is no penalty for non-participation.
>
> Our low HOA dues were established with an assumption of a high level of
> resident care work.The small group of neighbors who are struggling to care
> for common property are questioning the wisdom of continuing this
> arrangement.
>
> Are there any other co-housing communities successfully operating after 25
> years of laissez-faire resident participation?
>
> Ed Sutton
> Eno Commons
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://L.cohousing.org/info
>
>
>
>