Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: policies and practices for including renters in your community?

[Kathryn McCamant (kmccamant]

At my community, Nevada City Cohousing, we have wonderful renters living 
amongst our 34 townhomes. Some background.

We are 34 attached townhomes, and moved in in 2006

Our Participation Agreement refers to “residents” not owners or renters… we try 
to have the same expectations/treatment for both.

Today:
(3) people rent rooms in homes where the Owner is living
(4) homes are rented to people who have now been living there for quite a few 
years. It actually took me a while to think this thru because I think of them 
all as valuable community members.

All of our renters participate in meals, workdays, committees, and mostly 
monthly meetings.

We find having rentals (rooms in a house, or a whole house) is our best way to 
bring in greater economic diversity, and we hope several of these renters will 
eventually buy in the community. Two of our whole house rentals are young 
familes, and most of our renters are at the younger range of our 
multi-generational community.

I think that a general community orientation committee will do a better job of 
getting people involved, but best when both the landlord and community 
generally are putting out the “get involved, we’re glad you are here!” message.

Over the years, not all renters have participated so much, but then again, 
they’d be quick to tell you that not all of our Owners participate all the 
time.  Overall, twenty years in, Nevada City Cohousing is as strong as ever and 
a great place to live! And we’ve been successful at bringing in the next 
generation, specifically young families with little kids since all the kids we 
had when we move in have gone off to college and beyond.


Katie



Kathryn McCamant, President

CoHousing Solutions

www.cohousing-solutions.com<http://www.cohousing-solutions.com>

916.798.4755