Wolf Creek Commons has been wrestling with its future of late, trying to determine how to address the dearth of new members that seems to be a result of these tough economic times.  Many potential members find the value of their personal retirement accounts and other investments taking a nosedive, and the potential resale prices of their existing homes dropping sharply as well.  Some are in shaky situations at work, concerned about a potential loss in income due to cutbacks in days or hours, forced furloughs, or even possible layoffs.  It seems nobody wants to commit to purchasing a new home at this time – even in a community as well-designed as ours that could ultimately help reduce their ongoing expenses.  They express interest, but aren’t willing to make the membership leap.

In this environment, banks, potential investors and other financial partners tend to tighten up their loan requirements and become that much more hesitant to work with us.  The cumulative effect can be a doom-and-gloom attitude among Wolf Creek Commons members due to hurdles seem too great to conquer.

Wolf Creek Lodge, the active adult cohousing community that will be sharing the beautiful Wolf Creek Village parcel with us, finds themselves in similar circumstances.

The good news (I’m looking for the silver lining here…) is that our two communities — the Commons and the Lodge — may pull together that much closer in order to help each other resolve these dilemmas.  We’re talking more seriously about additional cooperative marketing efforts, socializing with each other, and even providing a means for members to move some of their equity from one community to another in order to help assure that the project is able to progress.  Even when it seems the darkest, friends and future neighbors can work together, buoying each other’s spirits and providing emotional (and financial) support.  And isn’t that what cohousing is all about, after all.