DecoHousing Organising Agreement

 

 

                                                                                                                                  16 May, 2015

This document supercedes the previous DecoHousing Initial Organising Agreement dated 16/11/14

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The DecoHousing Group has developed a Cohousing Project in Denmark, Western Australia. The functions of this group include, but are not limited to:

1. Recruiting and orienting new members to the DecoHousing Group.
2. Designing and developing an ecologically sustainable co-housing project at 40 Mt Shadforth Road, Denmark.
3. Forming a company to purchase the land and to build the cohousing development in collaboration with DecoHousing.
4. Developing a cohesive and diverse community of residents.
5. Developing the arrangements and agreements for the Strata Company which will be established as a vehicle for ownership of units in the Deco-Housing Project.

 

Decohousing will develop an urban cohousing neighbourhood in accordance with the “Vision Statement” and using the principles laid out in “The Cohousing Handbook: Building a Place for Community” Chris Hanson (1996).

MEMBERSHIP: A person becomes a member of the DecoHousing Group by attending three meetings, being formally endorsed at a meeting, by paying a non-refundable membership fee of $200 per household, and by signing this Organising Agreement. Members agree to:

1. Actively participate to bring about the vision

2. Read about and understand the principles of cohousing

3. Honour communication agreements set out in the “Resource File”

TO LEAVE THE GROUP: Members will provide written indication of intent to withdraw from the group. A member may be unendorsed by a decision of the DecoHousing Group.

MEETINGS: Minutes of discussions and decisions made will be available to attending and absent members at the next scheduled meeting. A record of all receipts, memos, correspondence, research materials and other records will be available to all members.

DECISION MAKING: Decision making will be by consensus using procedures laid out in the “Resource File”. All decisions are to be discussed thoroughly before a decision is made. A Quorum of 25% is required to make decisions. All decisions must be passed and recorded in the minutes. If consensus cannot be reached after two consecutive meetings, a formal vote requiring the agreement of three quarters of those present will be taken based on one vote per full-member-household. Decisions can be brought up or revisited by a member who was absent from a meeting, in the next meeting only, and only if they have discussed the matter with at least three other people who were present.

 

MONEY: Membership fees will be held by an assigned person, and can be used for day to day management of the group and for costs which are limited to paper, mailing, photocopying, minor incidental expenses and the rental of meeting rooms. For other purchases, or to incur any cost above $100, authorisation must be given at a scheduled meeting.

PURCHASING A UNIT: DecoHousing has established a Development Company - Deco Living Pty Ltd (DLPL) to buy the land and progress the project. Members who wish to purchase or reserve a unit in the development, invest in the company by purchasing shares to a value determined by the development program and investment schedule. All investors sign a shareholders agreement that outlines the business case for the Project, defines the role of the
company and sets out procedures for delivering the project or winding it up should that become necessary. Any money invested in the company is accredited to a unit purchase and will be confirmed by the signing of a Purchase Agreement ahead of construction. It is a prerequisite that any unit purchaser or renters in the DecoHousing Project be a member of the DecoHousing Group.

NON-RESIDENT MEMBERS: Persons not able or ready to invest in the Company may continue to support the vision and follow the project as members of the DecoHousing Group with the potential of buying in later if units remain.

Agreed this............................................day of ......................................................... 2015
SIGNED ...................................................................................................................................

NAME/S.................................................................................................................................
ADDRESS...............................................................................................................................
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PHONE/S..............................................MOBILE/S................................................................