Out-of-town Membership Policy

Underlying Values

• We want to encourage prospective members to be involved with and contribute to our community in order to develop relationships before buying a home in our community.
• We want to avoid situations where homes are sold to people who do not fully understand or embrace the type of inter-connected and self-governed community we are creating.
• We believe the best way for prospective members to be informed about our community is for them to be involved in the work and get to know us personally.
• Our intention is to continue the self-selecting membership process and preserve the experience of getting to know future homeowners who do not live in the immediate area.
• We want future members fully consider whether our values, policies and expectations resonate with their vision of community living.
• The intention of the following requirements are to facilitate a process which helps prospective members make informed decisions about joining our cohousing community and to create opportunities for relationships and collaboration.
• The process is meant to be an enjoyable exploration into cohousing community living.
• By request, the membership committee may waive or modify requirements as long as the intent of these actions is fulfilled.

Out-Of-Town Membership Policy

Each adult in the household will meet the following requirements. (not necessarily in the order listed):

• Have a phone orientation. The phone orientation will be after receiving and reviewing the orientation packet.
• Attend one business meeting.
• Attend two functions or socials
• Have conversations with at least 8 current members.
• Request to be on ACC e-mail list at ashlandcoho.com and participate in e-mail discussion.
• ACC buddy designated to potential member.
• Read one or both of the following books.

• Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett.
• Reinventing Community: Stories from the Walkways of Cohousing by David Wann

• Read a book about consensus decision making or participated in training about consensus and be familiar with our consensus process.
• Read and be willing to support all past decisions and our value statement.
• Write a letter or email to ACC expressing the household’s interest in being a potential buyer along with a one paragraph biography of whoever is in the future member household. The one paragraph bio will be for our community bio listing.

At this time equity members will meet and give the potential member feedback on pursuing equity membership. The purpose of this is to have dialogue with the potential member early on in the process. If the potential member is being well received, the community will encourage them to continue the membership process.

• Meet with members of group to clarify any question or concerns. You may also attend committee meetings to find out more about how the group works together.
• File an associate membership application with $50 nonrefundable fee, and agree to pay $25/month dues.
• Submit to the finance committee a mortgage pre-authorization for the purchase price of the house you intend to buy and a description of your financial plan.

There is a 6 week wait from filing your associate membership application to purchasing a house. This time is to help you in the self selecting process.

Before becoming an equity member and purchasing a home the following will need to be completed:

1. Announce intent to purchase a house by e-mail two weeks before your community interview. This two week period provides time for members to address any concerns directly with the future member.
2. Meet with ACC members about our joint expectations for your involvement in the group until you relocate to the area.
3. The membership committee will set a date when all applicants for designated houses will be reviewed and discussed by the equity members of the group. After this the following remaining items must be completed.
4. Consensus for approval from the group.
5. Pay a contribution toward your house within the parameters of current policies and specified between the buyer and the finance committee. This money applies toward the cost of your house. This money is not refundable until the project is completed, all units sold, debts paid and final mortgages received.

Once you become an equity member you are expected to continue participation, pay monthly dues and take leadership in committees and tasks. As an equity member, you have the right to block consensus within the terms of our Decision-Making Agreement.

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FORDYCE STREET COHOUSING COMMUNITY

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

To become an associate member of BGV, you must do the following:

1. Attend an orientation
2. Attend a social
3. Attend your first business meeting as an observer
4. Attend two business meetings as participant. The three meetings need to be within a 3 month period.
5. Read Cohousing, A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves and/or Reinventing Community: Stories from the Walkways of Cohousing by David Wann
6. While internet access in not a requirement please be aware that a great deal of communication takes place between members via email. You will be expected to read your email regularly and respond appropriately.
7. Join a committee.

After this, you may announce your intention to become an Associate Member. Then, you must…

1. Read and be willing to support all past decisions made by BGV.
2. Meet with members of the ACC to get acquainted and clarify any questions or concerns.
3. Submit a mortgage preauthorization to the Finance Committee with a description of your financial plan.
4. File an application with $50 nonrefundable fee, and agree to pay $25/month dues.
5. Submit a one paragraph autobiography of your household.

Associate members agree to actively participate in regular meetings, community building activities, committees and other tasks. Participation requirements are by household. If an adult member chooses not to attend meetings, they are asked to contribute their skills and enthusiasm for community in some other way during the planning stages, as well as after move-in (i.e., doing childcare, cooking for socials, etc.). Associate members participate in decision-making but may not block consensus.

EQUITY MEMBERSHIP

To become a full (equity) member, you must do the following:

1. Fulfill associate member requirements.
2. Read The Cohousing Handbook, by Chris Hanson or Reinventing Community: Stories from the Walkways of Cohousing by David Wann.
3. Wait at least 6 weeks from becoming an associate member before applying for equity membership.
4. By the time of application for equity membership you should be doing one of the following: a) join a second committee, b) doing task on a regular basis for a second committee or for the group as a whole or convinee one committee.
5. Announce your intent to apply for equity membership in a business meeting 2 weeks before your application. This will be done by announcement at a general meeting. The 2 week notice period not only allows other members to apply for the unit requested, but is also the time for members to come forward with any personal concerns they may have.
6. Have a meeting with ACC members to review concerns, agreements and expectations.

The membership committee will set a date when all applicants for designated houses will be reviewed. If more than one applicant is requesting the same house all equity members will meet to discuss the selection of that unit.

Then you must…

1. Get a consensus for approval from the group.
2. Pay a contribution toward your house within the parameters of current policies and specified between the buyer and the finance committee. This applies to your down payment. It is not refundable if you withdraw from the project before move in, until all units sold, debts paid and final mortgages received.

At this point you will have a unit reservation. Full members are expected to continue to participate, pay monthly dues and to participate on two committees or convene one committee. They have the right to block consensus within the terms of our Decision-Making Agreement. Unit reservation may be lost due to nonpayment of dues or lack of participation.

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EQUITY MEMBERSHIP ACCEPTANCE PROCESS

1. The 2 week notice period lets other members think about applying for membership or switching to the unit requested. It is also the time for members to come forward with any personal concerns they may have about the applicant. These may be discussed with members of the Membership Committee (MC), however, individuals must address personal concerns one on one with the applicant. Any issues between members going through the application process are considered issues for the group. When there is a need for discussion, mediation or conflict resolution between members, the application process will allow for & support adequate resolution of the situation. Membership will then meet again about the resolution before making any decision about the member's application. Members who have concerns must communicate with the MC so that time will be allowed for resolution.
2. After receiving approval from the Finance Committee, the Membership Committee will discuss participation and any other issues which should be raised at the meeting. The criteria for participation in use is: Associate members should be active on one committee, attending most meetings and doing tasks to further the committee's work outside the meetings. By the time of application for equity membership, the member should be doing one of the following: a) join a second committee, or b) doing tasks on a regular basis for a second committee or the whole group, or c) convene one committee.
3. After receipt of application for equity membership, the MC will discuss the application, and then have a meeting with applicant(s) and two or more ACC members. The person applying can request certain members to be at the meeting. The MC will use direct, clear and compassionate communication skills to discuss any issues that may impede equity membership, as well as checking on applicant's level of commitment to the group and any specific areas of concern.

Topics for discussion at the meeting include:

1. Level of participation and what changes in participation are expected when the applicant becomes an equity member.
2. Household issues (i.e., rentals, members with different participation, unit selection)
3. Money (pricing, HOA dues, timing of financial contributions)
4. Have they read and understood materials, with attention to:

• Sharing all predevelopment costs and when money is returned in case of withdrawal
• Pet, noise and home business policies
• Limitation on design changes

Legal issues: obligations and risks of the LLC, formalizing agreements with CC&Rs

The MC will discuss the application more fully after the meeting. The MC may hold the application process open to have a pool of applicants to choose from. If there are unresolved issues, a 30 day waiting period to complete specific requests from the membership committee would be set. After 30 days, the MC will discuss the application again, and if consensus to recommend is not achieved, the applicant will be notified as to the reasons, and the equity membership contribution will be returned. The household may reapply for equity membership and/or may appeal the MC decision to the group as a whole.