| I am interested in forming a community of sorts in the Hagerstown, Maryland, area. I am now looking at multifamily, apartment-type buildings as a way to get started. My ultimate dream is to have a small farm-size parcel of land with a large central house for group activities, as well as small, individual homes, which might range from campers and mobile homes to modest custom built structures, or alternatives such as yurts and domes.
I spent some time in a commune called Koinonia, from 1971 to 1973, and I have also visited Liberty Village, and Heathcote about two years ago. I was thinking about forming a nonprofit corporation, where members would purchase shares and make payments toward the purchase of the property. There will be a strong ecological and environmental emphasis, for energy conservation and minimal negative impact on our planet. I would like to promote a sense of cooperation and shared activities, but also respect individual privacy.
The immediate goal is to provide affordable and safe housing for people at or near retirement age, who may want to downsize their living arrangements, but I also want to have opportunities for younger people to be involved. This will be "cooperative living,” as an alternative to "assisted living." We will plan to have meetings in the Baltimore area, and field trips, to fine-tune our objectives. Status: Initial planning | Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses) |
Population Members(adults and children): 0 | Government Decision Making: By consensus (Open for discussion) Identified Leader: Yes (President of Corporation) Leadership Core Group: Yes (VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Board) | Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances (Open for discussion) Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes (Open for discussion) Labor Contribution: Expected (According to need and ability, or pay toward common needs) Join Fee: Yes (Purchase shares or rent) Regular Fees: Yes (Shared maintenance expenses, etc.) | Land and Buildings Small Town (Open for discussion) Land Owned By: The community (as a corporation) Cohousing: Yes (Open for discussion) | Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 1-5% (Open for discussion) Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week (Open for discussion) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous Alcohol Use: Used occasionally Tobacco Use: Seldom used (Open for discussion) | Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No (Must be open-minded and environmentally responsibel) Which Spiritual Traditions(s): Ecumenical (includes "all religions") (Agnostic/atheist also OK) Educational Style(s): Public schooled (Up to individual) | |
