FAQ

What is a co-op?

A cooperative is a business which is owned, operated and controlled by the people that use the business - its members. People within a co-op are united by a common goal and receive mutual benefit. Decisions within a co-op are made democratically, where each shareholder has as much say as any other. A co-op may take the form of a retail business, a farmer's collective, a food co-op or, as in the case of SCO, a housing co-op.

Living at SCO

Monthly Cost:

Rent ranges from $500-$700 a month depending on the room and includes gas, electric, internet, water/sewage, cleaning supplies and some food. A portion of rent goes to NASCO Properties toward the house lease, taxes, maintenance fund, etc. 

Lease agreement:

A lease agreement must be signed before any member can move in. We offer many different lengths of leases to fit all the different situations that life may throw at you. We would prefer for leases to be 6 months or greater in length, but can accommodate shorter lengths. Just tell us the time frame you are looking to move in and we can work with you to find an open room for you!

Furnishings:

All of the common areas at both The Vine and The Firehouse are fully furnished, and the kitchen has many appliances. Dishes, silverware and storage bowls are also supplied by the house. The bedrooms are not furnished for the most part, with the exception of the occasional desk or dresser. Talk to the current members, however, because someone who is moving out may not want to take their furniture with them, and we would much rather re-use something than throw it away!

Responsibilities:

Part of living at a co-op means that each person holds some responsibility for its operation and upkeep. Members of SCO are expected to complete individual chores that we are assigned. Each member is also assigned a house job which requires 1-3 hours of work a week. Members discuss their job progress at weekly meetings and ask for input from other house members. You can find a listing of current House Jobs and their descriptions here.

Decision-making:

Decisions at SCO are made through consensus at All-SCO meetings, which usually last about an hour. Consensus is slightly different than an unanimous decision because some members may abstain from voting when they have reservations about a certain decision (and after the house has discussed these concerns). The number of "yes" votes must still be in the majority. However, any member who is strongly opposed to a decision may halt action by giving a solid "no" vote. 

Pets:

Pet are allowed at both The Vine and The Firehouse. New members would be responsible for paying and additional $150 pet deposit, in addition to the security deposit. That being said, as both houses likely already have members with pets, ensuring that pets of new members are compatible with existing pets is encouraged.  

Smoking:

Smoking is not allowed inside the house, but there are ash trays on the porch. If you are a smoker, please let us know in the application because some members may have allergens or other breathing ailments.

Food and toiletries:

The monthly rent includes cleaning supplies and staple food items. These items are discussed and can be removed and added at the bi-weekly house meetings. Usual food and cleaning supplies are:

Certain fruits and veggies

Pasta and sauce

Baking supplies and spices 

Bread and cereal

Paper towels and toilet paper

Trash bags, sandwich bags

Laundry detergent 

Application process:

If you're interested in living at SCO, fill out our membership application here.

Once an application is submitted and the current members review it, we will reach out to schedule and interview. After the interview which can take anywhere from 1.5-2 hours, applicants would be invited to a shared meal with current members to get a better feel for cooperative living. After this, members would vote to accept or deny the applicant and the individual would be notified within 24 hours. 

What function does NASCO Properties serve?

The Firehouse is a part of a "coop of coops", called NASCO Properties (NP).  There are a total of 8 cities around the country with NP coops.  These coops co-own one another's properties, and share resources.  Each of these coops elects someone to the NP board.

Being part of a larger group of co-ops acts as a safety net for SCO. It helps to protect against disrepair, financial crises and disinterested members.  Together the co-ops can hire a few year-round employees who use their expertise to help keep the co-ops running smoothly and maintain contact among the co-ops.  The coops also share information with each other through the board - a coop struggling with a tough question can ask folks from other similar coops how they've deal with the same issue.

Pooling our financial resources also gives each co-op more financial freedom.  Money that SCO contributes year-by-year might help buy a new roof for one co-op or allow the expansion of another.  And when SCO finds itself in need, the money will be available so that SCO can continue to thrive.