We are pleased to announce the selection of Kim Thompson as the organization’s new Executive Director. Thompson brings to the position years of non-profit leadership to expand affordable housing options and advocate for supportive public policy. A skilled community builder, she is experienced in bringing together diverse interests to focus on affordable housing, smart growth and environmentally sustainable planning.
Thompson worked for several years in the San Joaquin Valley beginning in affordable housing advocacy then working to reduce air pollution, promote smart growth and improve regional health. She led community organizing efforts with refugee residents to improve substandard living conditions and to advocate for long-term affordable housing. She was a founding member of the Fresno Housing Alliance, a network to promote safe, decent, and affordable housing. Thompson states, “My work in housing and environmental health in California has shown me that entities such as Community Land Trusts are an essential way to address California’s challenges in housing and environmental health and are key to creating vital and environmentally sustainable communities.”
As CLAM’s Executive Director, Thompson will guide the land trust in expanding the base of homes that working people can afford. “We are thrilled to have a person with Kim’s experience, creativity and heart to lead CLAM in our second decade,” said CLAM Board President, Maureen Cornelia. A resident of Inverness, Kim is pleased to be able to both work and live locally. She looks forward to helping others who share CLAM’s goal to make living where one works a real option in the community. Her first day in the CLAM office was on Monday, February 13th. We are planning an event for the community to meet Kim in the near future.
Handouts from “Steps to Homeownership: A Workshop for First-Time Homebuyers,” October 16, 2008.
CLAM thanks Wells Fargo Bank for use of these handouts.
Download English versions (PDF files):
Download Spanish versions (PDF files):
Check Marin Housing web site for more information: marinhousing.org
By Lisa Post Tornes
“For what is possible now, let’s see what we can do. For what’s not possible now – let’s find out what it would take to make it possible,” said Rae Levine, director of the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin (CLAM), addressing an engaged and hopeful audience at two workshops on Saturday exploring creative ways for homebuyers, property owners, and investors to expand affordable housing in West Marin.
“We did this day to launch the whole notion of shared housing as a way to provide affordable housing,” Levine said after the workshops. “We also wanted to make it clear to people that we have some limitations here, and we have these limitations for reasons that we all support. It’s not hopeless; there are things we can do right now without changing anything.”
More than 60 people came to the morning workshop to hear the pros, cons and how-to’s of buying property collectively as tenants-in-common (TICs) or with shared equity investors. According to panel members, these are two methods that people can participate in now without any policy changes or special county, state or Coastal Commission approval.
Tenants in common own a property together, sharing the responsibilities of purchasing, renovating and maintaining it. According to CLAM, TICs dramatically reduce acquisition and maintenance costs for each of the co-owners. The downside includes the potential for disputes over how much to spend and on what, and the fact that when one owner decides to sell, the common mortgage has to be re-financed, incurring additional fees and raising property taxes.
“TICS can and are done in our area; it’s being done a lot in San Francisco,” Levine said. “In our area it works fine.”
As an example of the shared equity option, Levine mentioned that there are properties available right now in West Marin in the $600,000 range that may or may not have a second unit available. A family who could afford to take on a $400,000 mortgage could join with an outside investor who would put in the additional $200,000 with the expectation of a return down the road, at the eventual resale or a pre-specified time limit.
These options proved popular with the audience. Nearly everyone attending had a question for the panel, which included an attorney, Martha Howard, a realtor, Dan Morse, and a TIC homeowner, Daniel Cordrey. Levine said she wanted to emphasize that CLAM can help by providing education and informational resources; connecting people to realtors and others who can help them with TIC purchases.
“If you’re interested in this, please call me at CLAM!” she said.
After a potluck lunch, about 50 people forwent the warm sunshine to stay for the second workshop on co-housing, co-ops and other more “creative” solutions to affordable
ownership. Co-housing in itself does not create affordable units, but because they include common spaces with kitchens, laundry and guest rooms, the units themselves can be smaller and therefore less expensive. Members also save with shared costs and economies of scale.
The afternoon panel included CLAM trustee Susan Scott, who is a co-founder of a 25+ unit cohousing property in Sacramento; Rick Lewis, a co-op housing member, advocate and consultant from the East Bay, and Wade Holland, Inverness resident and Marin County Planning Commissioner for West Marin, who provided a reality check on affordable housing options in West Marin
“The fact that we have this rural area, that we’ve kept developers out, that we still have an agriculture industry – the things that have allowed this area to remain the same are the same things that keep us from having affordable housing now,” Holland said. “When we moved to Inverness 40 years ago, [the county] was zoned for one million single family home sites, which would have meant about three million people. But now, 89 percent of Marin is protected land, parks, open space; the 11 percent left is what we live on.”
Holland listed limited water resources and septic tanks as big constraints on housing, as well as A-60 zoning, which allows only one house per 60 acres on much of the outlying areas of West Marin. West Marin Commons Director Elizabeth Barnet asked from the audience about the possibility of a community-initiated development on A-60 land. She later said she was “somewhat disappointed, sobered, and intrigued” to hear from Holland that that would be impossible.
“The county won’t back out of this, we won’t look at putting affordable housing on ranch land,” he said. He did also say, “if you had a good, viable co-housing project–properly located, in infill, with water, and it was OK with the Coastal Commission, you could probably get it through the county.”
It’s easy to blame the county,” he said. “But it’s the state, and/or the EPA, that mandates most of it.”
Levine and Scott said they were glad to hear Holland speak about the limitations involved, especially for any kind of multi-unit new development for co-housing. What might be possible here would be a retrofit of an existing neighborhood into a co-housing structure, or as Scott mentioned from the panel, CLAM could buy raw or developed land and then provide a long-term lease to the co-housing owners. Low-income owners could buy and sell their units, which would remain forever at a certain percentage below market rate.
“We purposely did the afternoon workshop on the kind of shared ownership that is pushing the envelope on what is possible in West Marin,” Levine said after the workshops. “I was delighted that Wade came and did kind of a reality check. I know that some people took that as a downer, but I wanted people to understand how things work in this area. We all love this place for the reasons that make it this place.”
To learn more about how to participate in any affordable housing options – including how to donate or sell a house to CLAM for tax breaks while continuing to live in it or renting it for the rest of your life – contact CLAM at info@clam-ptreyes.org or 663-1005.
West Marin Citizen, May 1, 2008
Limited Equity Housing Cooperatives, or LEHC’s, are affordable housing owned jointly by the residents. Each individual or family purchases a share in the nonprofit corporation that owns the property, and has the right to occupy an individual unit. Each household builds a small amount of equity on their share, usually tied to inflation, but by law, no more than 10% per year. Because the increase in equity is limited, the buy-in cost and monthly payments remain well below market rates. This makes home ownership available for lower-income individuals and families who otherwise could never afford to buy homes.
Cooperative Ownership: Residents are owners; each member has the exclusive right to occupy a particular unit
Democratic Governance: Members are democratically responsible for the affairs of the co-op, electing a board of directors that oversees property management, hires employees, etc. Offers maximum autonomy in a context of mutual support
Below-market Purchase Price: Member pays established low price for share; new member buys share, assumes seller’s obligations; few or no closing costs
Below-market Monthly Costs: Members pay monthly carrying charges to co-op – a share of actual operating costs, mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, insurance and reserves
Collective responsibility for Repairs/maintenance for shared areas; some LEHC’s assume responsibility for individual dwelling unit maintenance and repair.
Individual security and Community control: Co-op has right to approve all potential members, and to terminate membership and evict residents who violate occupancy agreement; members have the right to remain in their homes as long as they meet monthly obligations and follow co-op rules and bylaws
Limited equity: co-op creates a formula to set the amount a selling member will receive; makes memberships affordable to future generations of purchasers
Seniors/disabled: alternative to institutions; provides economic structure and social framework, fosters self-reliance, interdependence and cooperation; least restrictive setting to furnish cost-effective customized care
Recycling social investment by providing permanent low-income housing stock and extending opportunities for affordable home ownership to future generations
Neighborhood stabilization and enhancement, including lower crime rates: Co-op members live in homes longer, have a homeowner’s stake in upkeep and improvement, and have a stake in neighborhood improvements and quality of life
This fact sheet about Limited Equity Housing Co-ops brought to you by:
Bay Area Community Land Trust, P.O. Box 1004, Berkeley, CA 94701, bayareaclt@yahoogroups.com
While these characteristics aren’t always true of every cohousing community, together they serve to distinguish cohousing from other types of collaborative housing:
Future residents participate in the design of the community so that it meets their needs. Some cohousing communities are initiated or driven by a developer. In those cases, if the developer brings the future resident group into the process late in the planning, the residents will have less input into the design. A well-designed, pedestrian-oriented community without significant resident participation in the planning may be “cohousing-inspired,” but it is not a cohousing community.
The physical layout and orientation of the buildings (the site plan) encourage a sense of community. For example, the private residences are clustered on the site, leaving more shared open space. The dwellings typically face each other across a pedestrian street or courtyard, with cars parked on the periphery. Often, the front doorway of every home affords a view of the common house. What far outweighs any specifics, however, is the intention to create a strong sense of community, with design as one of the facilitators.
Common facilities are designed for daily use, are an integral part of the community, and are always supplemental to the private residences. The common house typically includes a common kitchen, dining area, sitting area, children’s playroom and laundry, and also may contain a workshop, library, exercise room, crafts room and/or one or two guest rooms. Except on very tight urban sites, cohousing communities often have playground equipment, lawns and gardens as well. Since the buildings are clustered, larger sites may retain several or many acres of undeveloped shared open space.
Residents manage their own cohousing communities, and also perform much of the work required to maintain the property. They participate in the preparation of common meals, and meet regularly to solve problems and develop policies for the community.
Leadership roles naturally exist in cohousing communities, however no one person (or persons) has authority over others. Most groups start with one or two “burning souls.” As people join the group, each person takes on one or more roles consistent with his or her skills, abilities or interests. Most cohousing groups make all of their decisions by consensus, and, although many groups have a policy for voting if the group cannot reach consensus after a number of attempts, it is rarely or never necessary to resort to voting.
The community is not a source of income for its members. Occasionally, a cohousing community will pay one of its residents to do a specific (usually time-limited) task, but more typically the work will be considered that member’s contribution to the shared responsibilities.
Download this page as a PDF file: Cohousing Characteristics
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Download the complete newsletter (PDF): September-2011-CLAMBites
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If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, shared ownership may be a solution that is right for you.
Shared ownership means that two or more individuals or families buy into one property, thereby making the purchase more affordable for each. Tenancy-in-common and shared equity arrangements are two ways to share ownership.
Tenants in common own a property together, sharing the responsibilities of purchasing, renovating, and maintaining it. By sharing ownership of the property, the cost of acquiring and maintaining is dramatically reduced for each of the co-owners.
In legal terms, TIC is an arrangement under which two or more people or families co-own a parcel of real estate. Each TIC owner owns a percentage of the entire property. Ownership percentages can vary, by agreement of the parties, i.e. ownership does not have to be divided 50%-50%. The owners typically set out their rights, benefits and obligations in a written Tenancy in Common Agreement.
Property taxes are one shared bill, which can be apportioned based on percentage of ownership or other method agreed by the owners. Decisions on maintenance, repairs and major improvements for each owner’s individual house and area and for the common areas are made by agreement of the owners.
While TICs typically share one mortgage loan, fractional loans that allow co-owners to pay separate mortgages are sometimes available. Usually owners agree that each owner can sell his/her interest at any time and may add the requirement that the non-selling owner has a right of first refusal.
Shared equity is similar to tenants-in-common ownership in that two individuals or families co-own a property. However, in the shared equity model one of the owners occupies the property and the other shares the ownership as an investor. Again, the percentage of ownership can vary and owners’ rights, benefits and obligations are determined by a written Shared Equity Agreement,
In the shared equity arrangement, usually the occupying owner takes full responsibility for mortgage payments and maintaining the property. The investing owner’s primary role is to help fund the purchase. The terms of the investment would include when it to be re-paid (at sale of property or sooner) and how appreciation is to be determined.
Shared ownership makes it possible for people to obtain home ownership who could otherwise not afford to. It is a way for people to maximize their purchasing power by the pooling their resources. It also helps people succeed in homeownership, either as a new buyer, or being able to stay in their home.
Property owners who add a tenant-in-common owner gain usable funds from their equity and a partner to share property ownership responsibilities.
For investors, shared equity is a vehicle for investing and realizing a return, while supporting the community at the same time.
Shared ownership benefits the community by making it possible for working people to acquire homeownership they can afford. Affordable homeownership provides long term stability for the community’s workforce, and that means the community’s viability and character are preserved.
CLAM is working to promote and facilitate shared ownership purchases to create affordable homes in the communities surrounding Tomales Bay. CLAM:Provides education for potential homebuyers, property owners, and shared equity investors to help you decide whether and how to make shared ownership work for you;
Helps interested TIC homebuyers, property owners, and shared equity investors connect with each other to pursue shared ownership purchases;
Provides helpful resources, such as:
Thanks to CLAM’s members and Wells Fargo for support to provide Shared Ownership Services.
Bonnie Fisk-Hayden (left) with Susan Scott (center) and Susan Brayton, Western Weekend 2003. A founding Board member of CLAM, Bonnie made signs for her VW Van that read, "Affordable Housing Doesn't Mean Living in a VW Van!" Bonnie designed the CLAM logo, and she continued to volunteer her graphic design skills long after her six years of board service. (Photo: Nancy Adess)