In order to join the community and purchase a unit, we need you to get to know the group and work with us, and to agree to support our previous decisions.
To learn about the group, there are two things you should do.
- Look over our website, www.mosaic-commons.org [Array]. You can read about our vision, who we are, how we work, and see the designs for our site, our common house, and our homes. You can also read about what living at Mosaic Commons will be like.
- Come to an Introductory Meeting, held on the third Sunday of the month at 1:00 in Marlboro. [1] We'll review general information about cohousing, and talk in detail about our group, what we are working on right now, and what our schedule between now and move-in looks like. Childcare is provided.
Once you've learned about the group, here's what you need to do in order to join and purchase a unit:
- Start attending General Meetings, held on the first and third Sundays of the month from 3:30-6:30 in Marlboro [2], and workshops as they come up. You are welcome to come to some or all of the General Meeting immediately following your Introductory Meeting. Childcare is provided, and there is a potluck dinner following the meeting.
At your first General Meeting, you'll be assigned a Mentor to be your point person for any questions you might have, and to help you get to know the people in the group. You'll also be added to our internal email list, and be given a website login. From the beginning, you're welcome to participate in the discussions as much as you feel comfortable. It's also fine to sit back and listen!
- Read more about cohousing if you're new to it! The cohousing.org [3] website is a great place to start, and we have books for loan or for sale.
- Read and make sure you understand our active previous decisions and documents. Your mentor can help with this. You'll need to agree to support these in order to join us and purchase a unit
- Help out! We always have tasks, or Action Items, that need to be done. Take at least one of them to start. Volunteer for a task at a General Meeting or get an Action Item through your Mentor.
- Take part in at least one discussion outside of a General Meeting to learn more about the diversity, culture, and informal history of Mosaic. Your mentor will set this up with you.
Now you're ready to join and purchase a unit! Let us know that you want to join the group. All new memberships are by consensus, and we have a great Equity Membership process [4] that makes sure we have all our membership and financial ducks are in a row.
If you have questions about this process, please email us at info@mosaic-commons.org [5], or contact Steph by phone at 508-453-0446.
We also have the option to join the group as an Associate, for people who qualify for the 40b lottery [6] or for those who would like to participate but aren't yet ready to make the financial commitment.
To become an Associate you need to do all of the requirements above before the Equity Membership Process. Instead, let us know at that point that you want to become an Associate.
Associates are actively involved in the process of building our community, and participate in consensus decision making but without a blocking card. Associaes do not get seniority towards a particular unit or unit type.
Associates who qualify for 40b pay $20 monthly per household. All other Associates contribute an initial $50 and then monthly dues of $30 for the first, $20 for the second, and $15 for each additional participant from the household.