Common Place Cooperative, Inc.

  • Community
  • 2 followers

About the Community

  • Established
  • Urban

What we do

We are a cooperative housing community with 8 households in a 3-story walk-up near Porter Square, Cambridge. Our urban location is ideal, convenient to shopping, good public schools, universities, public transportation, and bike lanes into Boston.

We come to this community as individuals with our own aspirations, values, and experiences. At the same time we recognize that the art of successful life in a cooperative community is dependent upon building healthy capacities for compromise. We seek to live in community, learning from each other, respecting our differences and resolving the inevitable conflicts that will arise from these differences. Kindness, compassion, and respect are the foundation for our interactions. We are committed to engaging in honest, direct, and respectful communication with each other.

Many of our members have been here for our history, since 1973, with new members bringing energy and commitment along the way. We’ve raised children together and now most of us are retired, enjoying grandchildren, family visits, travel and social occasions, as well as the cultural life of the city.

We share celebrations and support one another through losses. We gather for community events in our common room as well as our beautiful yard and gardens. We have off-street parking for one car per household. Many people stop on their walk to the “T” to smell our roses or choose a book from the Little Free Library.

Members own the building and land cooperatively, each household owning shares based on square footage. Shareholders rotate terms serving on the Board of Directors. We work together on committees and projects, including planning, maintenance, gardening, and social events. In our monthly meetings, we share perspectives and concerns, and make decisions by consensus.

Our Vision

We are a cooperative, intentional, mutually supportive community, committed to peace, equality, inclusiveness, social and environmental justice.

Our Mission

We are a cooperative, intentional, mutually supportive community, committed to peace, equality, inclusiveness, social and environmental justice.

  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • 18 Total members
  • Not open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
18

How to join

We have a written application, reference and credit check process and interview. There is an opportunity to meet with the entire community.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Please send an email so that a visit can be arranged.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

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

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • 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

Join fee: Yes (amount not specified)
Monthly fees/dues: Yes (amount not specified)
Labor required: Yes
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes (some debt)
In addition to monthly meetings, members are expected to participate in weekly tasks, two 1/2 day work days per year, committee work and other tasks that keep the community well maintained and functioning.

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

Common House, Garden(s), Library, Workshop, outdoor gas grill, parking

Frequency of communal meals

  • Rarely

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Self-produced energy

  • 33 - 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    0.5 acres

Reviews

Location

  • Massachusetts, United States

Common Place Cooperative, Inc.

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
11 months ago

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