It has been written that CO-OPS ARE PEOPLE. Members of housing co-operatives are people who wish to create something excellent by pooling their human and monetary resources in an effort to live together in more comfortable and acceptable housing than is otherwise obtained for the time and money each member has available for this purpose. What does this mean? It means that all the members of our co-operative share in the expense and experience of living together. It means too, that we must be unselfish and have a willingness to be bound by the wishes of the majority. It also means sharing the responsibility for running the corporation, in many different ways, so that living with others will be pleasing to everyone.

This does not mean that each member of a co-operative can have everything that he or she wants; but it does mean that he or she can make his or her wants known. If enough fellow occupants want the same things, and are willing to pay for them, then these things can be obtained and enjoyed.
There are of course, limitations to the number of individual desires that can be satisfied. This is inherent in every cooperative effort. It is important that all pertinent information be made available to each individual inquiring about a cooperative or being asked to consider participating in this kind of housing choice.

There are some things which the by-laws of the housing cooperative and its occupancy agreement permit the member to do and some specific things which are expressly prohibited. Each member has the same rights and privileges; in return for which they must assume the same duties and obligations. It is considered to be a “folly” to inform a member ONLY of his or her rights and privileges and SKIP OVER the concurrent duties and responsibilities.

This article appeared in our Quarterly newsletter, The Status Quo, in 1993, here at Holliday Park Towne Houses Cooperative, and in several issues since that time. It is as true today, as it was then. The source was a speech given by Wm. A. Schmidt, Deputy Director of the Cooperative Housing Division of FHA, 1968, reprinted above.

What we do know from our own excellent experiences in living at a cooperative is this: The possibilities for peace and tranquility, for friendship and camaraderie, travel and sociability, safety and involvement, and all of this for a moderate amount of money, add up to be a great investment from any perspective.

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