Cohousing Classifieds
CohoUS is pleased to announce the following sessions for our
Affordable Conference on Affordable Cohousing
an online event for the 2020 Simple Series.
Session 1
| Rebecca Lane & Kathleen Hosfeld | Community Land Trusts: affordability and community ownership – a model solution Community land trusts (CLT’s) are seeing a resurgence in the United States as a solution for skyrocketing homeownership costs. Originated in the south in the early 60s, this model has new relevance for the housing affordability crisis that has affected virtually every state in the nation. In our hour together we will share the basics of what a CLT is, and how an equity limited model can support both multi generational affordable home ownership and community. Lots of time for Q&A at the end! | |
| Crystal Byrd Farmer | Housing Discrimination and the Search for Affordability Location is a huge factor in recruiting people to a cohousing community. Unfortunately, the United States has a long history of discriminating against home buyers based on race. We’ll discuss this history and how your site search may unintentionally leave out people of color. | |
| Grace Kim | CHUC: a unique renter model that ensures affordability in perpetuity Capitol Hill Urban Cohousing (CHUC) is a unique community in many ways. With nine families living on 4500sf of land, we are the smallest and yet most dense (90 units to the acre) cohousing community in North America. In addition, we have a unique ownership model that prioritized affordability in perpetuity – the legal structure is an LLC that owns an apartment building, where all the renters are members of the company who owns the building. In practice it is something between a co-op, a no-equity condo, and a rent-controlled apartment building. Learn about our unique model to see what lessons learned may be gleaned for your future community. | |
| Cohousing Research Network | Evidence-Based Affordable Cohousing: Taking the Next Steps CRN research findings and related information will be outlined as a basis for discussion. The subsequent sharing of ideas can lead to new ways of thinking about the intersection of affordability and cohousing. |
Session 2
| Carol Brook-Quintero | First hand experience of living in affordable co-housing unit A talk from two people who moved into the affordable units at a new community in Virginia. Topics include true costs of moving, adjusting, etc. Plus, ideas on how to attract people of all racial and economic groups to co-housing in general. |
| Betsy Morris & Raines Cohen | Affordability in Living in Cohousing – live conversation with resident leaders in Cohousing – live conversation with resident leaders. Join us LIVE from Cambridge, MA and Berkeley, CA – facilitating in-person gatherings with area cohousers participating in the conference. Hear from individual cohousers from different established communities discussing their personal and collective experiences. Get to know how innovations in food systems, shared spaces, room rentals, car-sharing, and even hiring each other has helped reduce gaps between housing prices and personal capacities. |
| Alan O’Hashi | Retrofit Cohousing and the “Secret Sauce” Traditional cohousing can’t be built fast enough nor inexpensive enough to meet growing demand, particularly for the aging population. There are 10,000 Baby Boomers turning 65 every day through at least the next decade. If you can’t afford to buy a home or your rent is too high how can cohousing meet your needs? Remember, housing is housing and what differentiates cohousing from other configurations is the “secret sauce.” I’ll introduce you to three alternatives to “stick-built” cohousing. communities. |
| Mac Thomson | Customization Kills Many people new to construction don’t realize how significantly customization drives up costs. This session is for cohousers in the planning stages of design and construction. You will learn how to limit choices for homebuyers so your homes will be more affordable, but still gorgeous, energy efficient, and incorporating plenty of personal design elements to make it feel like your own. |
Session 3
| Ty Albright | Low Cost Housing – challenges and solutions Ty will share his experience with the challenges preventing low cost housing, and share details about a 8 home pocket community neighborhood he is developing which may provide a model for how others can also develop low cost housing. |
| Beverly Suek | Retirement cohousing for women “of a certain age” Women’s Housing Initiative Manitoba If you are a woman over fifty and living alone, but would prefer to have company, you might consider creating your own, affordable cohousing. Get ideas on how to make your dream a reality. We are a women’s housing co-op of six women who are active, who like being part of a community and having fun together. We recognize the need to be affordable for women over 55, many of whom have no pensions or savings. We have been operating as cohousing for 5 years and love it! Check us out on Facebook or our website at http://whim235.wixsite.com/whim |
| Mary Kraus & Jim Leach | Examples of Affordable Cohousing: This presentation will begin with a summary of the unique cohousing elements that affect its cost and affordability. We will then look at specific approaches to affordability, including zoning and density bonuses and Boulder’s inclusionary housing program, as well as strategies such as accessory units and rental suites. We will show examples from specific communities, reflecting on both successes and lessons learned in the quest to provide affordable homes in cohousing. |
| Adesina Cameron | Preparing your community for mortgage success You’ve done the work to raise your initial capital and break ground. While the buildings are going up you should be preparing to make sure that every member will successfully secure a mortgage when it’s time to move in. Mortgages can be a challenge for Cohousing because banks don’t really understand the concepts and their confusion often makes them say no. Learn about how you need to set up your documents and how you can help your community members get preapproved and stay preapproved throughout construction. This course is also for existing communities to learn how to facilitate successful resales. We will also address how to cultivate the next generation of cohousers so that they can qualify when you have openings. |
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We’d like to thank our sponsor: Wonderland Hill Development Company
