We Are The Solution

Discussion
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Dear Fellow Communitarians,

I believe most of us have heard in some form or other about the housing crisis in the United States. Every time I heard about it again, I can’t help but think about the cohousing movement, both in terms of how it could be (and should be) a part of the solution, and some of the biggest hurdles the movement faces in terms of creating affordable communities. I am relatively new to the movement, and would love some thoughts from those who have lived in, travelled to, and engaged in the planning of cohousing communities. What information I have collected points to this being one of the main challenges facing both existing and planned communities:

Regulatory hurdles. The number of permits required, the amount of building codes that must be adhered to, and the tremendous cost associated with jumping through these regulatory hoops is daunting enough to anyone trying to build a single family home, not to mention a group of people trying to build a neighborhood, group housing project or village. While most of these are - at least in writing - meant to make homes safer (and what a bank could sell should a foreclosure occur), they create yet another barrier to the average person, and an impossibility for the many people who live below the poverty line.

Who do they benefit? Corporations and land developers with millions of dollars to invest in property, hiring contractors and building the legally-required infrastructure such as roads, electrical hook-ups, and water access. Corporations and land developers who aren’t in building to shelter people nor to build community, but to make profit. This gets even worse when we look at the problem of reduction in home ownership among Americans who are forced to pay very high rents to landlords and companies just to have a roof over their heads. Why depend on for-profit entities (who wouldn’t care about making housing affordable) or government housing when there’s a whole movement ready and willing to solve the problem?

I believe that the cohousing movement can make the ‘American dream’ of home ownership real again. But in order to do so, we need to put pressure on state and local governments to re-think their legal requirements for land development to help the average citizen and not corporate land developers and landlords, without compromising safe building practices.

A man I deeply respect and admire stated that we shouldn’t shy away from making our voices heard to our elected officials, and this is one topic we should unite on.

I acknowledge that it is also a complex and scary one, and I welcome your thoughts, feelings and experiences on the subject. Thank you.

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I am of the mind that We need to ramp up bringing the revolution to overthrow the capital class, and the “ICs” are a step in the correct direction as the movement can and should provide housing and food to the masses as We rest control from the ghouls. I have been trying to plant the seed that the movement should be focusing on neighborhoods in cities as well as these “projects” out in the boondocks. That said, I personally could use that housing and food offered by these communities, where I would be working for and within whichever community accepts me into their fold, as a body, a worker. I have only that to offer. No money or any other capital. But my passion and knowledge and experience makes up for that which is lacking IMHO. I only ask for the chance to prove myself.

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I appreciate your thoughts!

I have read about some communities who are trying to engage more in barter trading and work-trade instead of the usual capitalist ‘money for services’ setup. I’ve seen this advertised more in ecovillages than other co-housing types. If you’re interested in ecovillages specifically, I’ve found the Global Ecovillage Network (https://ecovillage.org/) to be useful.

You might also be interested in WWOOFing! Some communities and farms offer room and board in exchange for help on the farm. I’ve personally spoken to a couple of people who have done this sort of volunteering and have liked it (though they’ve also warned me that some of the organic ‘farms’ and ‘communities’ can be a little sketchy, so take it with that grain of salt). I think https://wwoof.net/ is still a decent resource if you are interested in the WWOOFing lifestyle.

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Why woof? I have been welcoming people to learn on my farm. I’ll post again in the forum. Yet they want to be tourists. That’s not community or skill building. This forum is a sleepy place. Ya. It takes a lot to live in the first world, infrastructure , zoning permits, tools n supplies. Many established communities are here looking for helping members. Where will they come from? Tornado torn abandoned towns? First world skills are not as useful as hands on, experienced craftspeople, gardeners, builders, electricians. Who is up for a change? As long as you have cash you can wall yourself off from the Planet. How long? Avoid the Rush ! Chk us out in Directory as Extinction Rebellion. Food is the new currency.

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“This forum is a sleepy place”.

-Yes, it is. And that is quite disappointing. But I might have theory why. There are several people who appear not to be living in community, -and have never lived in community. They often write rather long and (at least for me) quite confusing posts about the how to of community living. ~Their missives do not inspire reply.

If you look at the listings of topics, a remarkable number of them end with the last statement from those several. I don’t know, it seems like The Forum should be a lively and vibrant place for community living discussions. But the “discussion killers” seem (to me) to ward off further discussion.

I have no idea if I am right. And no idea of what to do about it. Certainly, non-communitarians should be a vital part of The Forum. There is much to learn. There is so much knowledge and experience of decades of doing, within this movement. It would be so great if those experienced folks were to pass on their experience. But it’s just difficult to never be asked real world knowledge, then having to constantly deal with very hard to understand guesses from folks who do not know. It is often just easier to let it pass. -But that doesn’t grow the movement.

Maybe the thing to do is to just simply ask that people of whatever experience do more inquiring and practice less certitude. And ask that the “elders” of the movement give up some precious time to “garden less” and lead more.

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I’ve contacted many communities… almost all I get ghosted by. Only Paul of Coweeta gave me any real interest, but that damned stuff known as MONEY got in the way. Some of Us don’t have any. But we can work. But who will employ Us? Or bring Us on as community members? What is it about some of Us who have done much to better this planet, and have the passion to do much more, that has the established communities scared of Us? Is it just the lack of money? Or something else?

I am about to take a huge risk in 2 days, as no one is willing to take a very, minor, really, actually, nonexistent risk in me. A huge risk at losing what little stuff I have, as there will be 4 segments to my trip, with 2 bus trips. I’ll be going to La Plata in the hopes White Rose will accept me, as a now homeless individual. Some place where I know no one, a place I’ve never been. White Rose a place that also ghosted me.

Funny thing is, it’ll all be easier than changing my evil sister’s mind. She is a monster for doing this to me. She is a monster by way as how she lives. Gives not a rat’s ass about the environment. Cares only about HERself, and no one and nothing else. Thinks it’s a good thing to establish her “forever home” in the shadow of the petrochemical industry on the outskirts of Houston. Hey, but at least she gave me an out! FML