Many years ago in Austin, I lived at a so-called “co-operative” sometimes referred to as a residence?
club where hippies, co-eds, bikers, and just regular folk lived in several two or three story buildings and where we all pitched in and did various chores to keep the rent down. At any rate, I was just reading about all of the evictions going on in NY City and I wondered if perhaps those unfortunate folks might be able to find some sort of place (a “co-operative”) where everyone is assigned chores, especially in those areas of expertise where they are best suited, For example, someone might be good at landscaping, so that person would keep the grounds around the facility maintained, and someone who can cook would grill burgers or pancakes or whatnot, and if someone is a good entertainer, whether at comedy or singing then that person could entertain during dinnertime, and so forth. In any event, I don’t think it’s a good idea to try and collect money from someone who is in arrears on rent during times such as this. what do you think?
It might work.
On the other hand, a place like that might attract freeloaders who would use it as a free pad and let the other donkeys pull the cart.
A friend of mine once went, for ideological reasons, to live in a cooperative. Within a week she had personal belongings and money stolen, and rescued what remained of her record collection, giving it to her mother to preserve.
Freewheeling groups such as you describe depend heavily on the goodwill, morality and self-discipline of all the participants. Human nature being as it is, these will sometimes be in short supply.
Crazy Carl Hickerson 6th street comedy club Austin Texas USA
