Expanding Cooperative Housing in Lawrence

A discussion on the history and potential expansion of the cooperative housing system

in Lawrence, Kansas

Cooperative Houses and a Need for Community

First Half of the 20th century we had the WWI, the Great Depression, WWII

Community as support structure

Need for CommunityGeneral Social Survey, funded by the National Science Foundation in 2006 found that.-A quarter of Americans say they have no one with whom they can discuss personal troubles, more than double the number who were similarly isolated in 1985.

-The number of people who said they counted a neighbor as a confidant dropped by more than half, from about 19 percent to about 8 percent.

Average House Size in the US

Lonely NationThe comprehensive new study paints a sobering picture of an increasingly fragmented America, where intimate social ties—once seen as an integral part of daily life and associated with a host of psychological and civic benefits—are shrinking or nonexistent. In bad times, far more people appear to suffer alone.

Now and Then

In the first part of the 21st century: Iraq and Afganistan and the Great Recession

We Need Community Now More Than Ever. Not to mention... Peak oil and climate change

Lonely NationNow more than ever people will be facing these ideas alone.

● History of the Co-ops and the threads that connect

● University of Kansas Student Housing Association (UKSHA) as it stands now and recent history

● Expansion Ideas

Making Do & Getting Through: KU Co-ops, Halls and Houses 1919-1966

McElhenie, Fred. Published by the Historic Mount Oread Fund. University of Kansas Student Department of Student Housing, 2006. www.kubookstore.com

Co-op History in Lawrence

Co-op Beginnings● Lakota Co-op (1919-

1925) - 1122, 1127 Ohio● Wita Wenton Co-op

(1919-1926) 1208 Mississippi

● Wankanta Co-op (1919-1926) - 1231 Louisiana

● Picture of early student room from book

● Accommodated 45-50 girls● Cooperative House Fund saved

by 10 sororities● "good homes at reasonable costs

might be furnished for girls who must live economically while in school."

● "members who act as chaperone, business manager, and cooks earning a share of their expenses by their work"

"

~

Changing Groups at 1614"Jayhawk Co-op was disbanded March 13, 1943. Kaw Koettes moved over to occupy the house." "The members were split up and went to either John Moore Co-op or Rock Chalk Co-op... World War II exacted a toll on the co-ops."

Ex-members moved back in the following semester.

Became a women's group in 1951-1955 and was known as Rochdale Co-op Annex

"From 1956-1961, it was named Hilden Gibson Co-op. Few records exists for the period 1944-1961. As far as can be discerned, no organized group has lived there until recently."

Rochdale Principles● Set of ideals established by the

Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in 1844 and adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance (ILC)

1. Voluntary and Open Membership : Cooperative Societies must have open and voluntary membership. The Rochdale Principles established important anti-discrimination policies and a system of motivations and rewards to expand membership.

2. Democratic Member Control : The Rochdale Principles mandate that cooperatives must have democratic member control. This gives members the right to participate in the decision making processes of their cooperative. One member = one vote.

3. Member Economic Participation : Members equitably contribute the capital of their cooperative. That capital is common property of the cooperative and members usually receive limited compensation. Surplus economy (i.e. profits) are managed by the members to develop the cooperative, support other organizations, or returned to the members.

4. Autonomy: The Rochdale Principles state that cooperatives must be autonomous and independent. If they enter into partnerships with other organization it must be on terms that ensure democratic control by their members. For instance, if a cooperative enters an economic partnership with another organization, that organization does not gain control over decision making, regardless of the sum they have contributed. Decisions are always made by members.

5. Education, Training and Information: Cooperatives must provide education and training to their members. Additionally, cooperatives provide information and education to the public about the nature of co-operation.

6. Cooperation among Cooperatives: Cooperatives are autonomous organizations, but they work together to facilitate communication across cooperatives and strengthen the cooperative movement.

7. Concern for the Community: Cooperatives must be responsible partners for their communities. Decisions must benefit the larger community.

http://cultivate.coop/wiki/Rochdale_Principles

Tie-In-- Rochdale Principles created a coherent set of values and principles around which multiple organizations formulated a vision for the future of student housing co-ops.--These organization included UKSHA (more on that in a second), the CLCC (later to become NASCO), the ICC, and others

Instrumental in these developments was Luther Buchele

Luther Buchele----Kansas Native--Enrolled at KU in 1939 and joined the Jayhawk Co-op in 1940--Helped organize the University of Kansas Student Housing Association in 1941 and six new co-ops before 1951--Helped organize the Central League of Campus Cooperatives and the North American Student Cooperative League in late 40's--Began work as executive secretary for the Inter- Cooperative Council in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1951

Regarded as "the father of student housing cooperative housing movements" because the cooperatives he built served as models for those at other universities. Retired from the ICC in 1985.

University of Kansas Student Housing Association (UKSHA)"A letter from Luther Buchele dated March 27, 1941, indicates that Hilden Gibson, associate professor of political science, assisted Jayhawk Co-op in becoming incorporated as a nonprofit organization. It became known as the University of Kansas Student Housing Association."

--Also helped in formation:Hilden Gibson- KU Assoc. ProfJohn Moore - Head of KU YMCA ChapterGeorge Docking - Sr. Exec at 1st National Bank and later became governor of KS

-- In mid-50's, several leading members left or passed away and as the co-ops were losing members and shutting down, the organization sold all properties and put the money into a savings account

This was found in 1969 by J. Keith Miller with a goal of creating qualitative experimentation to develop pragmatic social practices with community living situations, backed by data found in real-life experiments (based on Walden Two by B.F. Skinner).

-Originally two houses served as overflow houses for fraternities

-- Buildings were attached roughly when they were turned into a single nursing home. Due to poor practices, the nursing home was shut down and put onto the market for cheap

-- Keith Miller, professor of human development and family life at KU, found the UKSHA savings account and had a plan. Inspired by Walden Two, he aimed to develop an egalitarian group living environment for students using behavior analysis. The result was the CIA (Campus Improvement Association) House at 1406 Tennessee Street, opening in the fall of 1969. The house became a center for activism, but while enjoying some success, responsibilities were neglected and the co-op began to fall apart.

Restart of UKSHA Through Experimentation-(1406 Tennessee)

---3 Co-op Houses---1 Paid employee

-After closing for a summer to reorganize, the house reopened as the Sunflower House in the spring of 1972. The new work sharing system and the new environment were successful in providing a stable atmosphere and the house has flourished ever since. Now, UKSHA has begun a new period of expansion by repurchasing the old Jayhawk Co-op at 1614 Kentucky street, which re-opened its doors in 1998 and in October of 2005 Ad Astra house opened at 1033 Kentucky.

-Houses owned by NASCO Properties and leased by UKSHA, which retains local control

UKSHA Now

Basically a Co-op for Co-ops

Ironically, NASCO was the very organization that members of UKSHA helped form came to the rescue of the Lawrence Co-op housing system

Agreement made in 2009 to become a NASCO Properties (NP) member

Sell properties to NPUse NP and UKSHA funds to renovate

NASCO (North American Students for Cooperation)

1033 Kentucky Street

House was bought for $1 and moved down the hill from Ohio street

Opened in the Fall of 2005- 9 Bedrooms- 3 Bathrooms

Ad Astra Co-op

--1614 Kentucky StreetFormerly 20 memberswith 2 house parents$17/month room/board

Now:9 Bedrooms$325/month room/board

Olive House (Jayhawk/1614) Co-op

1406 Tennessee Street

- 33 Bedrooms- 5 Bathrooms

Sunflower House Co-op

Total Sunflower House members stayed very low (10-15) for the year after renovation

UKSHA Board and NP came up with "re-seeding" idea of having several veteran members of the smaller co-ops (along with one Haskell student) to move into Sunflower to attempt to improve desirability of house in exchange for free rent for up to two months.

6? people volunteered and moved in with lofty goals

Post RenovationIn the following months, the group (and the UKSHA Board along with advice from NP staffperson Daniel ...) dealt with many policy changes, changes to the labor and food systems, re-creation of the lease and leasing terms, and eventually a re-interviewing process for all former members.

Process also known as a "colonization" and was perceived as unfair.

The house reached the full capacity of 33 ? months later and in Aug we saw every member sign a year-long lease

● Meeting unmet needs○ Single-parent/small family co-op apartments○ Pet friendly house○ Co-op business incubator house

● Meeting increased demand○ All three houses turned away applicants last year

● Creating more democratically controlled housing options that empower members to be their own landlord

● Getting more people to experience cooperative living!● Increase ability to switch houses with another co-oper

○ More houses allows for switching between houses that have different cultures while allowing members to stay within the co-op system

What are the Goals for Expansion?

"If you want peace, start a co-op." Toyohiko Kagawa

Potential Properties

1011 and 1017 Indiana--Hopkins Hall- 1011 Indiana (1942-1955)--In discussions with landlord to turn into a co-op house

1017 Indiana

Cosmic Beauty School (formerly... Furniture store)

1127 Ohio---Formerly one of the first quasi co-op houses in Lawrence

-- Lakota Co-op in 1919

-- 12-14 women and a chaperone