Madison Community Cooperative (MCC)

  • Community
  • 2 followers

About the Community

  • Established
  • Urban

What we do

Madison Community Cooperative (MCC), founded in 1968, is a thriving housing cooperative consisting of about 200 members who collectively own and manage 11 cooperative houses. Our houses are located on Madison’s isthmus and range in size from 8 to 30 members.

Each of our houses features individual bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and a large communal kitchen. Members at all of our houses are part of house level dining co-ops. Most of these dining co-ops are also open to members of the Madison community who are not members of MCC.

Our members are young and old, workers and students, parents and non-parents, and represent a diversity of ethnicities, national backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. The central mission of MCC is to improve the Madison community by providing low-cost, nonprofit cooperative housing for very low- to moderate-income people, and to be inclusive of underrepresented and marginalized groups.

MCC is run by our members at our monthly Board of Directors meetings; monthly-weekly Maintenance, Finance, and Membership Committee meetings; tri-annual General Membership meetings; and weekly house meetings. Each of our houses has its own unique culture and history and is entrusted with a high level of autonomy. Each of our houses is responsible for its house policies, membership process, work/job system, annual budget development, minor maintenance program, dining co-op, house meeting system, and designation of Board and committee representatives.

Our Vision

Affordable urban co-op housing

Our Mission

Affordable urban co-op housing

  • Community type
  • Student Co-op
  • 206 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
206

How to join

Each house memberships slightly differently. Most follow some combination of in-person shared dinners, surveys and interviews for prospective members.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Please contact each house individually (preferably in person). Some co-ops allow only guests (visitors with a sponsor within the house). There is also a hostel in Madison, if you would like to stay somewhere else while exploring membership in the co-ops.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Founder/Leader-led

Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Monthly fees/dues: Yes (amount not specified)
Labor required: 5 hours/week
Each house sets its own labor policies; generally individuals contribute 20-25 hours/month

$25-50

Must be able to pay the security deposit and monthly room & food charges

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Library, Workshop, Large Scale Kitchen, Stage or Auditorium, Swingsets & play areas, Waterfront access, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • Approximately 1 meal per day

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure

Property status

  • Privately owned

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Reviews

Location

  • Wisconsin, United States

Madison Community Cooperative (MCC)

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
  • Communities with Openings
12 months ago

Water Birch Co-op. Urban living in central Denver.

Large, lovely house built in 1900, two blocks from Cheeseman Park in downtown Denver.  5000 square feet. The house was a Buddhist Meditation Center for 20 years before we got it and has lovely, calm vibes. We currently have ten people and have room for one more. We are an intentional community sharing dinners, 3 living rooms, 2 new kitchens and a kitchenette, & 5 baths. Staple food (organic) is bought together. The group is self-regulating as a co-op; it decides together how the house runs. There are chores ;-) Average cost per room is about $1000 ranging from $650 to $1354. Currently available room is $875. We are just finishing renovation of three bedrooms on the third floor  they are $875 each and share our largest, newest bath (shower and separate claw foot tub) and a brand new kitchenette  they all have beautiful windows and lots of light. PLEASE CHECK OUT COMMUNITY LISTINGS FOR MORE INFO. Initial lease for 3-6 months while we and you decide if we are a good fit for each other.  Deposit in the amount of one months rent is required prior to move in.  We do background checks on all members. Utilities are currently $130 per person per month and are all-inclusive.  They will change if costs go up, that amount is insufficient to cover utilities, or more people mean the cost per person goes down.  WiFi is via mesh network from gig-speed fiberoptic service.  Heat is with radiators.  Cooling is evaporative.  We have a storage room in a nearby commercial facility.  And a new large workshop in the garage. Shared food is $125 per month per person; it is a pass-through cost divided evenly among residents; it does NOT include meat or alternative protein nor any alcohol.  We will not be surprised if that needs to go up some soon ($10 or 15). We have two dogs and three cats in the house  that seems like a sufficient quantity of furry friends for now. Our community intentions include: Communication with compassion. Shared space and life. Shared meals. Shared staple foods which are non-GMO and Organic. Group decision making. Safe, inclusive space: queer and trans friendly, anti-racist, non-violent, and feminist. The purchase of the house by the co-op in about five years. The expansion of the co-op, possibly to include other housing types (like separate apartments). Weekly meetings and house committees to manage our community. We are considering implementing Sociocracy as an organizing method. Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 8:00am. We are looking for community members who: Want to live in a community not just have a place to sleep and eat. Want to live in a beautiful, clean, and organized house and are willing to help make and keep it that way. Residents should expect to spend 16 hours per month towards this goal. Are curious, compassionate, flexible, and open to living with others who will undoubtedly have different ideas about many things. Are interested in pioneering a new co-op. There will be work involved to get there. Are responsible and communicative. Embrace enthusiastically that living in community requires introspection and personal growth. Are not joining the community as a way of running away from something.
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