the benifits of 20 people sharing a home

I lived in the http://www.oaklandmorehouse.com for about three years - its a three story Victorian that was built as a single family home in the 1890s. Its been an intentional community since 1968 and from it have sprung numerous other intentional communities including the Lafayette Morehouse where I live now. There are usually 15 to 25 people living there.

Most of the benefits of living together like that have already been mentioned, here are some others.

You wind up doing fewer things you don't want to do. The person who enjoys plumbing is the one who fixes the sink, the computer guy keeps the internet running and helps people with computer problems, the masseuse can fix your shoulder (which you torqued while fixing the sink). Or if you are great at plumbing, but don't want to do it (or have a torqued shoulder), you can sit in a chair with a glass of lemonade explaining to someone else how to do it.

"inhouse prices" - if you have to pay someone else in the house to do something, they give you a preferred rate - they know how much / little money you have, and they don't have to leave home to make money.

'Shared surplus' - we have an institution called 'the red barrel' - its on the front porch - you put clothes, books, whatever that you don't want in it - anything that is still "good" or "useable". Our neighbors contribute too. You 'go shopping' there and get lots of great stuff free. Every week or two the remainders go to Goodwill.

Great equipment - commercial stoves and a lot of top notch kitchen equipment - nothing else would last under the kind of use we give it (smile). The collection of tools among all the residents is unbelievable - of course not everyone will lend every tool to everybody (smile). Similarly the collection of clothing is amazing - the women especially share clothing - and costumes for Halloween & parties.

Scale of projects you can do is greater - the Halloween party you can throw with 20 helpers is amazing - if you have six people doing decorations .... and no one does more than they want to do.

You learn how to get along with other people. "If you fill a bag with pebbles, they rub the edges off each other", especially when 'getting along with each other' is part of the group agreement and philosophy.

George: you bring up lots of great points... wish someone would do a web site on IC best practices...guess this forum is filled with those... the human elements of living in harmony with all the messiness and wonderousness of humanity.

Have you ever experience an impasse with the 'one no vote' where ONE person could hijack an important decision?

I experienced the Mariposa IC not far from there and LOVED IT!

Paul and Kelda talk about permaculture ethics, social justice, and the bigger picture in this podcast: podcast

Paul talks about the benefits of 20 people sharing a home.