FURTHER INFO FROM RICK MOCKLER OF COHOUSING PARTNERS RE THEIR CONSULTING SERVICES

[Richard D]

Hi SF LGBT Cohousing Folks----
Here is the bulk of an email I got today from Rick Mockler RE
Cohousing Partners' consulting services. As you can see further below
in the email I sent Rick, I had asked Rick for more information about
this, including their rates. I edited out the rates here due to the
relatively public nature of our Google Group, but will bring them to
the next meeting or can provide them to individuals on request (I may
be being too cautious here, but try to bear with me). Rick's email
below gives more info of what cohousing partners might provide prior
to being fully on board (that is, prior to basically having a site
selected that is considered feasible, which as I understand it is
generally the point at which Cohousing Partners forms what they call a
"project LLC" between themselves and the group's LLC).
---Richard Daley

From: Rick Mockler [mailto:rmoc...@cohousingpartners.com]
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 3:25 PM
To: rrdp...@comcast.net
Subject: RE: FOLLOW-UP TO VOICE MAIL

Hi Richard,

Sorry to miss your call. Yes, I’d be happy to supply information on
our consulting services: how we generally work with groups and our
hourly rate information.


Generally, our goal in the early stage is to help a forming group to
conduct an effective site search. This may involve some coaching on
site criteria (helping the group to identify its priorities, including
clarifying preferences on density), financial analysis, physical site
analysis, identifying and working with potential brokers, and meeting
with local planning staff to assess zoning and related entitlement
issues.

Initially, we can provide a short in-service or workshop (e.g. 2-3
hours on an evening or weekend), where we train the group on site
search issues and strategies. Once the group has clarified its site
criteria, we encourage it to work with a qualified land broker to help
you identify qualified prospective sites. Then we can be a resource
to help assess the political, design and financial viability of
particular sites, before you make offers. Once you have a contract on
a site, during the “free look” period we can be a resource in doing
the feasibility analysis, to conduct a more thorough review of the
potential project. Once a feasibility review is completed to the
satisfaction of both the group and CoHousing Partners, then we could
explore entering into some sort of development partnership.

I am ordinarily the point person at CoHousing Partners who does most
of the staffing during the consulting stage, although Kathryn McCamant
may be a resource and we might bring in a project assistant, if that
is useful. Here are our hourly rates:

Individual hourly rates:

[Note: I edited out the hourly rates from the email here just because
I hesitated to post the specific hourly rates on our relatively public
Google Group site; I can share these at our next SF LGBT cohousing
monthly meeting (or with individual members in advance on request).
Perhaps I am being too cautious here; we can also discuss that at the
next meeting.
---Richard D]

Our practice is to provide an estimate or “not to exceed” number, in
advance of any consulting. We can either give the group a formal
consulting proposal for a specific scope of work, or we can enter into
a consulting arrangement where the group provides a retainer, and we
just work on specific issues as directed by the group. Ordinarily the
group would designate a specific member to serve as our liaison.

I would be happy to speak with you or other group members to help
clarify our consulting practice or to tailor a consultation to fit
your needs. We have also have a crash course that we call our
“Getting It Built” workshop, which is an overview of the development
process, and which can be very useful to forming groups – it is
ordinarily taught by Kathryn McCamant and me in tandem, for a one or
one-and-a-half day training.

We look forward to hearing from you all.

Best regards,

Rick


Rick Mockler, Vice President
CoHousing Partners, LLC
231 G St., Ste 22, Davis, CA 95616
www.cohousingpartners.com
530-297-7115

From: rrdp...@comcast.net [mailto:rrdp...@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 1:54 PM
To: 'Rick Mockler'
Subject: FOLLOW-UP TO VOICE MAIL

Hi Rick---
I just left you a voice mail. I am a member of the group that is
trying to form an LGBT/LGBT-friendly cohousing in the SF Bay Area.
You spoke to us at our July meeting (at Alan VanEss's place at
Pleasant Hill Cohousing). Our group would like to have information
about the hourly and/or task-based rates that CP would charge in
assisting a group prior to being fully on board (prior to purchasing a
site and forming what you called a "project LLC" between CP and our
group's LLC). You had mentioned that the rates were available from
you/CP and the group would like to have an idea about that as we
assess our different options for progressing our cohousing effort.
Kind regards,
Richard Daley (rrdp...@comcast.net