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

[Kathleen Lowry (kathleenlowrylpcclmft]

Thank you all for your openness about the issue of participation. I was in a 
COVID daily dinner pod that developed in an apartment complex for 1.5 years. 
Since a few of us were therapists we talked openly about participation with the 
whole group. Some examples of how people felt they contributed were “not 
complaining” “keeping to myself” “being funny” “ having good ideas for food or 
movies” “having low expectations.”
It became a problem  for those who saw time and effort (acts of service in love 
language terms) as the important contribution.
 What to do? :) Kathleen

> On Jan 5, 2023, at 6:17 AM, Lisa Kuntz <lisa.kuntz [at] 
> daybreakcohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> 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
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