Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Guest rooms

[Rick Gravrok (rick.gravrok]

Here at Monterey Cohousing in Minneapolis (St Louis Park) we have this in
our Rules & Regs:

COMMON SPACE - GUEST ROOM USE POLICY

Approved at 11/19/2000 BOD; Rules & Regs 3/18/01; (d) added 8/19/2013;
(e-h) added 6/24/2018; (e-f) modified 4/28/2019


   1.

   There is a two week limit on guests in Common Space - no more than 14
   days in any 60 day period.

b) Any extension of this limit must be pre-approved by BOD of Master
Association.

   3.

   There must be a “qualified resident” (as defined in the Master
   Association Bylaws) as host.
   4.

   Donations to the community, whether monetary or in-kind, can only be
   received from members.  [Guests who wish to contribute can give funds to
   their member host.  Member hosts may contribute these to the community.]
   5.

   Notifications are required via posting on the Gather calendar for
   guests. Guest room reservation is only valid with required posting being
   completed.
   6.

   Email notification is required for non-resident guests in advance of the
   stay. Rules for email notification do not apply for residents' use, but the
   user's name must be included as Host/Guest on the Gather calendar.
   7.

   Linens must be replaced same day as departure, and cleaned linens
   returned to the room as soon as possible.
   8.

   The rules for guests on time limits and cleaning also apply to every
   resident's use of the rooms.
   9.

   Guests will be informed of Common House Fragrance Policy, using the
   language in Section (f) under Fragrance Policy.

==================

Rick Gravrok
St. Louis Park, MN
iPhone 952-220-8153
952-926-6655 (landline)
https://standupdaily.org


On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 9:02 PM Main Email <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hello Elizabeth and all…
>
> In my community of Takoma Village Cohousing, we have a guest room pod
> (Team) that is responsible for the smooth working of the guest rooms.
>
> We have a policy or a set of guidelines consented to by the whole
> community that defines the length of stay limiting it to 10 days for one
> room and five days if you have both rooms.
>
> The host is required to make sure that the room is clean and ready for the
> next guest including bedding.
>
> We ask for a donation suggesting $25 per night per room.
>
> We’ve had this policy/guidelines since very early on in our living
> together.
>
> If a member host needs more time, they usually write to the community
> stating their needs. I don’t think we’ve ever denied a member to extend
> their use of the guest rooms.
>
> Everyone seems to support and adhere to the use of the guest rooms.
>
> One little editorial bit: you may have more pre-work to do on this issue.
> For instance, not letting the community know that their  guest is homeless
> or has a mental condition seems there might be a lack of trust issue.
>
> Also, I think in any situation in which there is a mental health
> dimension, it becomes quite difficult to deal with an individual. The
> suffering is great on their part and the community as well. At some point,
> you may have to call adult protective services.
>
> Elizabeth, I think the first step is to work through the situations that
> has led you to this point.
>
> Then try to get a set of guidelines or a policy that is consented to by
> the whole community. That way you have something in writing that you can
> refer to. It’s also helpful to have a team of people who manage the guest
> rooms.
>
> You may have quite a discussion about whether to charge for the guest
> rooms. We certainly have a difference of opinion on that here in
> Takomavillage. We made it an optional donation. Some people pay it others
> do not. We just live with the discrepancy.
>
> The guest rooms can be a good income stream for the community.
>
> Just get something on paper that the community can commit to. You can
> always enlarge the guidelines later.
>
> Good luck, Elizabeth.  The situation sounds like another effing
> opportunity for personal growth for your community.
>
> By the way, if I represented anything incorrectly, I’m sure one of my
> neighbors on this list will jump right in and set the record straight.
>
> Ann Zabaldo
> Washington DC
> Sent from my iPhone
> All tiipos ... curtesy of Siri  :-)
>
> > On Jun 24, 2024, at 8:31 PM, Elizabeth Magill <pastorlizm [at] gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I'm checking with communities about how how you deal with guest rooms
> > for people in crisis.
> > We require a member host for all guest room usage and have ended up
> > with a variety of people in crisis staying in rooms.
> >
> > One of my friends stayed for several months, leaving if someone else
> > needed the room. A couple struggling with their relationship ended up
> > with one of the two in the common house for quite some time. A member
> > with hip surgery ended up in a guest room for six weeks, as all our
> > homes have stairs. A member invited a friend who turned out to be
> > homeless to stay, and she didn't want to leave.
> >
> > All except the hip surgery required intervention to end the practice,
> > and the intervention happened long after several folk were upset about
> > it.
> >
> > My question for ya'll--have you had this? Do you have policies that
> > don't allow this--if so what tod they say? How do you get someone to
> > move on. How much of this is the responsibility of the host? (And if
> > so, what if the host thinks it's fine?)
> >
> > We have two rooms, mostly unused, but all of these situations
> > interfered with someone who wanted to use the room traditionally, as a
> > place for the guests. And many people who want the space for guests
> > won't ask the long term user to give them space.
> >
> > -Liz
> > Elizabeth Mae Magill
> > www.mosaic-commons.org
> > In Berlin, MA.
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> > http://L.cohousing.org/info
> >
> >
> >
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://L.cohousing.org/info
>
>
>
>