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Better Together - Cooperative Symposim

 Don’t miss the Better Together – Cooperative Symposium on Saturday, 10/29 at Loyola University’s Kasbeer Hall (downtown campus). Hear experts talk about affordable housing, nutritious food and access to fair credit services. 

Our prevalent housing models, designed primarily for nuclear families and people living alone, do not meet the needs of big chunks of our population. Consequently, a void exists in our culture that could be improved by a simple, though radical, shift in the way that we think about housing, the function of healthy families, and communities in general. New Community Vision’s goal is to promote discussions about housing alternatives that can improve people’s lives by meeting the needs of the way people live today. Various life stages have particular housing needs that one-size-fits-all single-family housing does not appropriately meet.

Discussing housing in a broader context and exploring alternative models could bring forth ideas that serve our communities with a variety of solutions. The nuclear family, living in single-family homes, was unheard of until the post World War II baby and housing booms. Single-family home ownership, long the American dream, offered the status of having “made it,” and privacy and kingship of your own castle. It also has the downside of isolation, loneliness, expense, and not enough back-up people to look after the children,the older folks and too few hands on deck when trouble, such as illness or the loss of a job, comes to stay a while.

New Community Vision’s goal is to bring to light more choices about housing and family-like structures so that people can consider the possibility that living in a supportive community could tangibly improve their life. Single parents could benefit from sharing an apartment with another single parent. This arrangement offers the freedom to take a class or meet friends after work, confident that the children were at home with someone everyone knew, liked, trusted, and saw every day.

The Table of Housing Alternatives shows a variety of models that may be more appropriate to today’s lifestyles.

The National Shared Housing Resource Center provides a clearinghouse of agencies in 44 states to match homeowners who want to share their home with potential housemates. Careful screening and matching, usually produces good results.
There is a need for inter-generational, non-familial house sharing in which all adults are on an equal basis as owners or renters.By dormitory, we mean a private bedroom and the other areas of the premises being open to all residents.

Examples of this are limited.HistoryCooperatives have existed as a business model since the Rochdale Society introduced the concept in 1844.
During World War II and through the 1960s cooperative housing developments met some of the pressing housing needs of war effort and resulting baby boom. Some were well designed and organized and still operate successfully today.
See the following links: Atchison Village and Why Leave when you can BuyThis relatively new housing model originated in Denmark in the 1980s and the movement is growing. Before the 2008 recession, over 100 cohousing communities existed in the US and at least 100 cohousing developments were in some stage of formation.  Price RangeCo-ops range in price from Section 8 developments to the fanciest addresses in town. One advantage of ownership is lower transaction costs.Price is dependent on the development.Price would depend on location, condition of the property and of the neighborhood.Possibly inexpensiveBarriers to formation and potential time frameLack of funding
With existing laws and frozen funding, forming a new co-op may take a long time.Lack of funding
With existing laws and frozen funding, forming a new cohousing development may take a long time.This could potentially be a relatively speedy process. Utilizing third party expertise to evaluate and screen parties for compatibility, safety, security, and a host of issues increases the odds for success.Not widely available or well understood.Presumed demographic appealAll age groups
Housing co-ops can function as an apartment or house. In some communities, the members are more aware, available and responsive than typical communities today.All age groups
Ownership could be structured as a condo or co-op. By design, the community would be more aware, available and responsive than typical communities.Single parents, older people, young people who value an inter-generational living experience.
Young adults who have aged out of the foster care system.
Disabled people.Single peopleExisting communities to joinCooperatives have vacancies so timing is important but buying into one is definitely possible.In Chicago, Prairie Onion Cohousing has a site and a developer. Eight more households need to commit financially to move this from the dream stage to reality.  ResourcesSeveral national cooperative organizations have experts throughout the country, so expert advice is available within arm’s reach.

• National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC)
• North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO)

The Cohousing Association of the United States

Cohousing developments structured as a co-op, would have access to those resources as well.

The National Shared Housing Resource Center (NSHRC) is a non-profit clearinghouse of information for people looking to find a shared housing organization in their community or to help get a program started. Two Chicago area agencies match people who have homes with people who want to live in a home. The arrangement serves all parties.
The Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs serves the northern suburbs and the Center of Concernserves primarily suburban Cook County.

Six states are not listed in the NSHRC Directory.