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A Guide for Successful Community Development

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A Guide for Successful Community Development COOPERATIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX A Guide for Successful Community Development TOOLBOX SERIES Published by Northcountry Cooperative Foundation in partnership with Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund COOPERATIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX A Guide for Successful Community Development Published by Northcountry Cooperative Foundation in partnership with Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund Cooperative Housing Development Toolbox i Acknowledgements This publication is one in a series of toolboxes published by the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation. Funding for the development and production of this toolbox was provided by a grant from the Northwest Area Foundation. If you wish to purchase a copy of this toolbox, contact: Northcountry Cooperative Foundation 219 Main St. SE—Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55414 612-331-9103 www.ncdf.coop Thanks to: Kevin Walker, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund Margaret Lund, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund Kerstin Larson, Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) Tom Guettler, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund About the publisher Northcountry Cooperative Foundation (NCF) is the non-profit, educational affiliate of the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund (NCDF). NCDF was founded in 1978 by a group of nat- ural food cooperatives whose members wanted to invest their capital in business activities that support- ed their values. What began as a simple tool for self-preservation—a handful of co-ops lending money to each other because no one else would—soon grew into one of the first community-development loan funds in the country, and a model for community-based capital control. Since its founding, NCDF has expanded its market beyond natural foods to include other cooperative sectors. NCDF has made millions of dollars in capital available to a range of small consumer, worker, housing and producer cooperatives and their members, playing an instrumental role in the success of these enterprises. From its beginning, serving a locally-based collaboration of small natural food coop- eratives, NCDF has grown into a regional network of more than 100 community-based, democratically owned and governed enterprises. NCF, as the non-profit arm of NCDF, was formed to more effectively carry out and expand the educa- tional and technical assistance activities with which NCDF has long been involved. Cover illustration by Michael Lechner Copyright 2004, Northcountry Cooperative Foundation, in partnership with the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund. Information contained within may not be reproduced in whole or part without permission of the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation. ii Cooperative Housing Development Toolbox TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements. ii About the Publisher . ii INTRODUCTION. 1 Purpose of This Guide . 1 Is Cooperative Housing Right for Your Community? . 1 CO-OP BASICS . 3 What Is a Co-op?. 3 Joint Ownership . 3 Democratic Control . 3 Operations for the Benefit of Members . 3 Guided by Cooperative Principles . 4 What is a Housing Co-op?. 5 The Basics. 5 Equity Models . 6 BENEFITS OF HOUSING CO-OPS . 8 Individual Benefits . 8 Affordability . 8 Accessible Home Ownership . 9 Flexible Housing Model . 10 Financial Advantages . 11 The Home Ownership Stake. 12 Supportive Community: Building Social Capital . 13 Community Benefits . 16 Engine of Economic Growth . 16 Stability. 16 Summary: Why Cooperatives Are a Good Affordable Housing Choice . 17 HOUSING CO-OP DEVELOPMENT . 19 Identification of Project Objectives / Target Audience . 19 Identification of Project Team Members. 20 Co-Developer or Development Partner . 20 Lenders and Funders . 20 Market Analyst . 20 Marketing Agent. 20 Cooperative Attorney . 21 Project Architect / Engineer . 21 Contractor . 21 Site Selection / Concept Development . 21 Site Control . 22 Development and Operating Pro Forma . 23 Financing Options . 25 Market Study . 26 Architectural / Engineering Work . 27 Marketing Process . 27 Preparation of Legal Documents . 28 Cooperative Housing Development Toolbox iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Member Education and Training . 28 Closing on Project Financing . 29 Renovation or New Construction . 29 First Annual Meeting . 29 Ongoing Training and Support . 29 Ways of Maintaining Affordability . 30 BEST PRACTICES / WORST PRACTICES . 32 PARTING WISDOM . 34 APPENDICES. 35 Frequently Asked Questions . ..
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