Community driven by principles
The Hawk’s Nest Community is not highly structured. We who live here are independent — needing to work, travel and operate on our own schedules. At the same time, we strongly believe that living with others is psychologically healthy, environmentally responsible and socially enjoyable. As such, we have established a framework of expectations as well as a governance statement for how any who live or visit here interact. While these serve as initial guideposts for the community, as people join they will have a strong stake in how we, as a community, live together.
Governance
As a community, we are collaborative, democratic and rooted in consent - though not consensus (i.e., we don’t require universal agreement). We aim to ensure that everyone is heard and is comfortable not only with how decisions are made but with the general outcome as well. When it comes to property issues, however, the final say usually comes from Ken as the homeowner, so perhaps we would say this element of the community is governed as a benevolent autocracy. For example, you may wish to put in a garden, but you need to check with Ken before doing so. If we build a greenhouse together, we can discuss style, location, what it might look like or how it is used. While building it, we would decide as a community when it's OK to do so, with the noise of power tools, hammers and the like. In the end, however, Ken will make the final determination of where it will go.
Community Expectations
When living here, there is an expectation that you …
- Buy into the basic vision as outlined on this website.
- Respect others' boundaries and give people space, based on their expression of their needs.
- Share in the work of keeping the place up, noting that everyone who lives here long-term has the opportunity to get up to $100 off of their monthly rent by working between 6 and 7 hours above and beyond basic day-to-day housework.
- Commit to a monthly check-in meeting with all residents across both homes.
- Maintain an agreed-upon level of cleanliness.
- Communicate needs and issues as they happen, as opposed to letting things fester - while striving to communicate the positives in equal or larger measure!