Alice Alexander's blog

A Thank You to Jeff Zucker, Stepping Down from Coho/US Board

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Alice Alexander, Durham Cohousing (Durham NC)

Today is Jeff Zucker's last day on the Coho/US Board, and a good time to thank him for his service! Jeff joined the board in late 2013, when the organization was contracting, with multiple challenges. He was one of just six board members when I became Executive Director in April 2014, and the only one who wasn't imminently terming off! Thankfully, board members Bill Hartzell, Laura Fitch and Dick Kohlhaas agreed to serve through the 2015 conference, providing critical stability.

Supporting Coho/US: Language for Budget Line Item

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Alice Alexander, Durham Cohousing (Durham NC)

Supporting Coho/US through annual contributions is a terrific way to ensure our association continues as a connector and clearinghouse to help our communities thrive.

I recently included this language in my Durham Cohousing's budget package as justification for continued annual support to Coho/US. Some of you may find this brief "case for support" helpful:

Marketing Your Cohousing Project with a Blog

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Sharon Villines, Takoma Village (Washington DC)

I love blogs and blogging. Blogs are supposed to be personal and unique. A blog post can be anything from a meeting announcement to a thought piece on "why is it raining again and what to do about it." Being a writer helps but every group must have some writers. If you don’t, find some. I’m serious.

Blogs started as “web logs.” Serious, personal, and frequent posts about many topics. Like a diary. Mommy blogs are huge now. Cooking blogs. But so are blogs about typewriters and antique musical instruments.

Cohousing Costs After You Move In: Part II Findings of the Study

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Philip Dowds, Cornerstone Village Cohousing (Cambridge, MA)

Part I of this series described how Coho/US and CRN have co-ventured research into the annual budgets of cohousing communities; obtained the annual budgets of 20 communities comprising 611 units; and analyzed these budget materials to help develop some consistent interpretations of community budgeting practices. In this Part II, we present some of the actual numbers.

Twenty-Six Years into our North Carolina Experiment with Cohousing

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Becky Laskody, Arcadia Cohousing (Chapel Hill, NC)

Arcadia is a vibrant community 26 years into our central North Carolina experiment with the co-housing concept. The mix of woods with the portion that we disturbed to build upon has morphed into a magnificent suburban oasis, nurturing many species of flora and fauna, holding our little village.

Do Cohousing Marketing Models Fit the Market?

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Ann Zabaldo, Takoma Village Cohousing + Kathryn McCamant, CoHousing Solutions

Ann Zabaldo started this conversation on the cohousing-l email discussion group, and Katie McCamant added comments:

...in the end … it’s all about sales. You can be ultra green, you can be super affordable, you can be cool, cool techy, you can have all kinds of bells and whistles but in the end … if you can’t sell it you will not have a community. This is for ALL real estate not just cohousing.

Aging Successfully, Study Group 1 Online Facilitator Training

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

McCamant & Durrett Architects

BECOME A KEY FACILITATOR IN INSPIRING AND EMPOWERING SENIORS TO:
Age in place successfully.
Understand the economics of senior living choices.
Take charge of co-care, co-healing, and outside assistance.
Strengthen the bond between body and soul, individual and community.
Appreciate the interlocking roles of community life and quality of life.
Work effectively to achieve common goals.
Create a meaningful living legacy that transcends the generations.

Tough Topics in Cooperative Groups

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Laird Schaub: Laird's Blog

Not all topics are created equal. In the context of cooperative culture, some topics are much tougher to get at than others.

Here are half a dozen that I encounter regularly. These are by no means all, but they're representative. If your group consistently handles any two of these well, you're way ahead of the curve. (If not, I'm available for hire.)

I. How Power is Used in Cooperative Groups
Groups need to understand—and be able to talk authentically about—how power (influence) is distributed in the group.

South Africa’s Memel Global community: A challenging place to walk your talk

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Alan O'Hashi, Silver Sage Village (Boulder, CO)

Memel Global constructed “rammed earth” houses
SheWins soccer program

When I cleared customs in Chicago, the Homeland Security guy was more interested in how my visit to South Africa went than the packaged beef Biltong – potential contraband – I had in my bag.
Biltong is sliced spiced meat, similar to jerky. Click on the image and check out my pilot episode about my South Africa impressions.

Cohousing Costs After You Move In: Part I, Intro to Our Investigation

Submitted by Alice Alexander on

Philip Dowds, Cornerstone Village Cohousing (Cambridge, MA)

“Cost of living” refers to all the expenses sustained by a household in the ordinary course of life. It includes, not just the cost of housing, but also the cost of food and clothing, furniture, transportation, medical and child care, and so on. Traditionally, “cost of housing” has referred to the specific shelter expenses of mortgage or rent, property taxes and insurance, and utilities. More recently, condo fees and Homeowner Association (HOA) dues have been added to the mix of shelter costs.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Alice Alexander's blog