Cohousing-L Mailing List: What is your community's reserve funding level?

[Grace Kim (grace]

Sylvie-
If your concern is around affordability, remember that in the long run, having 
a big cash hit for an unexpected expense is harder for a household to absorb.

AND….if there are some who are really wanting higher dues and others can’t 
afford that….you could do something very “un-American” and have different 
households pay different amounts of dues. That’s an equitable model vs equal 
means of paying for these much needed reserves. 

And without a doubt you will be having more costs that come up 23 years in.

You should also consider a mutual aid fund for when you do have a large expense 
that is not covered by the reserve…some families might not be able to pay 
$15,000 to pay for new roof or something else in a short time period..,so what 
will you do?

And also remember that once these major items are replaced, you won’t need to 
have that large cash reserve for that item for another X years…so it’s ok for 
the reserve fund not to be at the same level for a while.


grace h. kim
schemata workshop 
(sent via mobile messaging)
206.795.2470

> :
> 
> As part of our discussions, some people are wondering whether or not
> other communities that havereserve funds are currently funding them at
> levels lower than seventy percent for the end of the thirty year period.
> Have any communities had positive or negative experiences related to the
> level of percentage funding of the reserve funds.
> 
> Thank you for whatever you can tell us.
> 
> Best,
> Sylvie
> 
> Sylvie Kashdan
> 
> -----------------