Community Land Trust
Megan McDonough
I'm new to this list, but excited that there are other people trying to make low cost community housing happen. One of my favorite books on the topic is "Housing ourselves: creating affordable, sustainable shelter" By Richard Burnham. He talks about the cost of incremental housing that is built over time as needs change.
I also work with one of the oldest community land trusts in the country - the Valley Community Land Trust - that has been trying for the last 30 years to change our relationship to land and housing - one home at a time. We're in the midst of a search for new land and new members. Please let me know if you want to learn more.
We've organized a tour of local cohousing, coops, land trusts and green homes to see how different models address issues of affordability, ecology and community. If you are in western Mass consider joining us or just checking out pictures and handouts that we'll post on the web at www.vclt.org.
Keep up the discussion!
Megan
--
~Together on the Land Tour~
Saturday, June 12th 9am-5pm
Guided tour of coops, cohousing, green homes and land trusts to learn about ecological community living options.
Registration required www.vclt.org
LarenCorie
> I'm new to this list, but excited that there are other people
> trying to make low cost community housing happen.
> If you are in western Mass consider joining us or just
> checking out pictures and handouts that we'll post on
> the web at www.vclt.org.
Hi Megan;
I am also new to the list. I am beginning design work
on a nice, low-cost house, for central Massachusetts,
that will look similar to this:
http://web.axilar.net/LarenCorie/gull-1-2.htm
Much larger version:
http://web.axilar.net/LarenCorie/VictorianSouth.htm
-Laren Corie-
Natural Solar Building Design and
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Marganne Meyer
>>From: Megan McDonough <mcdonou...@gmail.com>
>
>>I'm new to this list, but excited that there are other people
>>trying to make low cost community housing happen.
>
>> If you are in western Mass consider joining us or just
>>checking out pictures and handouts that we'll post on
>>the web at www.vclt.org.
Sometimes I think if a few of us could settle on one to three small
house plans, we might be able to economically build a community of
small homes either in a neighborhood or on larger parcels that allow
for building more than one unit (or on a commercial lot).
Even if it never gets built in that format, I'd like to fit in some
expense estimates so we can get a clearer idea of how much it would
cost to buy into a small community. For me, the proposal made by Ron
is too expensive. But, I probably would be able to afford to rent a
small home for the same I'm spending now on a rental studio in
Sacramento. It could be a way to leverage in those of us who are
fairly poor and provide some relief for those of us who have the
funds or ability to get a mortgage (rental income).
Has anyone written down a good framework report we might use to
pencil in estimated expenses (probably within ranges) and the cost of
land depending on lot size or acreage and location? Then there would
be utilities and planning expenses.
I've looked at mid to western Mass. It's beautiful. I'm just not sure
I could adapt from always living in California to the radically
different climate in Mass. One advantage for me if I rent is I can
try out a location for a while.
I'd like to know more about how the Community Land Trust example
might make cost estimates look different.
Cheers!
Marganne