Premium Content
This area will be devoted to materials of exceptional value. Our first webinar presented in December 2007 by Kathryn McCamant on “Investing in Sustainability: Financing Cohousing" is an example of the type of useful information we're striving to present.
Naturally, we will announce the introduction of this material as it is developed.
Prospective Premium Content Packages
Starter kit for newly forming groups
- Two or three samples of forming communities’ membership levels
- Introduction to cohousing
- Roadmap to cohousing
- Sign-up sheets
- “Things I wish I had learned” about working with:
The group consensus process
The marketing process - Checklists for choosing and dealing with providers:
Architects
Developers
Zoning board
Construction companies - How to select new members
- How to select professionals
- Intro to affordability
- Green building checklist
Marketing kit
- Map of U.S. cohousing projects
- CD with pdf presentations
- Marketing flyers
- Updated brochure with option to have it customized
- Sample press releases
- Take-away cards for billboards, public meetings
- Setting up a Yahoo group (instructions/guidelines)
- Interest signup sheet
- Creating a website: tips on site organization and content
- Creating a Google ad
- Tie-in for tours process
- Ideas for better informational meetings
- Making connections with existing groups to help you build your group.
- Are you a partner? Order form to become a cohousing.org partner
Documents kit
- Legal entity discussion e.g. what’s required to run a LLC?
- Governance structure pointers
- Condo declaration
- bylaws samples
- Frameworks that have worked in other California Washington and Massachusetts.
Common house considerations
- Noise control
- Appliances
- Kid’s flooring
- Accessibility considerations
- Things to do in common house – Kids games and activities
- Scheduling common house (CH) activities (dos and don’ts, use by outside groups, cost and fee issues, using your CH as an “incubator” environment for new cohousing groups)
Common meal practices
- procedures, recommendations & anecdotes
Common meal cookbook
Sustainability and Green kit
- Creating a green-built community
- Making existing communities greener
- List of practical resources (ride-share, energy-efficient suppliers, etc.)
- Self-audit checklist with practical followup steps
Consensus 101
Funding options
All about how to buy your land
Dealing with governmental and neighborhood issues
- Overcoming resistance to new cohousing
- Zoning & planning board procedures with checklists
- Neighborhood outreach ideas
Conflict resolution policies and practices
How to shop your loan
Any other guidelines that would benefit other communities?
What else should we be gathering? Email us your ideas.