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of inconclusive domestic disputes [Jun. 12th, 2008|01:04 pm] greyhoundliz Well. That was fun. I cornered the relevant housemate in the kitchen last night. Asked him if he had a minute. He asked what it was about. "The AC." "I don't want to hear it." "Then we'll keep it short. [recap of my views.]" "[recap of his views, his promise to pay, etc. Increasingly defensive.]" [Interestingly, he claims to have been using the AC for its fan properties since the heat wave broke. Um...what about the dust? I didn't ask.] "I'm still not OK with paying for your AC, which is what you're asking me to do until the money comes in. I need you either to agree to use the fan function only until then or to take it out." We went around with this one for a bit. Eventually, we settled into a stubborn and unhappy silence. And then he left the room. I went after him, asking if he needed more time to think. He said, "No, I've given up on thinking." (I have no idea what that means.) So...now what? I drafted an email, which I will send (if it still seems like I said things right) in a little while, saying that I need to hear from him soon, or that I will come into his room tomorrow after work to take the thing out. Which gives him the required twenty-four hours notice for me coming into his room for non-emergency purposes (something I have never really bothered with before, but which feels like a good idea in this situation). link 3 comments|post comment

Broke tenants and climate control [Jun. 10th, 2008|01:02 pm] greyhoundliz So one of my roommates/tenants is out of work. I know this. I know he has no money right now. He owes me money -- I haven't been hitting him too hard for utilities, because I know he doesn't have it. This month, he also fell $25 short on the rent. He wanted to put an AC in his room. He did this once before, and paid for the spike in the electric bill. I told him that this time, since he can't cover it, I wasn't comfortable with him doing it again. Apparently I wasn't clear enough. Last night he borrowed an AC and put it in (note to people who don't know me well: I hate air-conditioning, for environmental and health reasons. I really don't like having it in my house at all, and I am surely not subsidizing it). So earlier today I replied to his email on the subject by asking him to take the AC out until he has enough money to cover it. (I should also note that he does not have a fan in his room, although he has been told to take one from the house stock of fans. He says he doesn't like how they blow dust around.) I don't know quite what I'll do if he refuses. Go in there and take it out myself? Return it to its owners? This is the down side of living with one's friends in this setting -- I don't want to damage a friendship, but I also don't want to pay his way excessively. I don't mind helping people when they're having a hard time. I do mind when people try to take advantage. It's one to add to the list of house policies, I suppose: thou shalt not have an air conditioner unless thou be free of debt and able to pay for the extra power used. link 8 comments|post comment

Rules and names [Dec. 26th, 2007|06:08 pm] greyhoundliz Question about the rules of this community: do we name names? There is an ex-member of our house who is, I hear, back in the neighborhood. I'd like to warn others not to rent to him (with detailed reasons). Do I post that here, or just suggest that folks email me? link 2 comments|post comment

[Nov. 7th, 2007|10:16 am] savestheworld  How do you organize the search for/ decide on new housemates?  How does your role as the "landlord" differ from anyone elses role (if at all)? link 12 comments|post comment

house geek night [Oct. 15th, 2007|08:54 pm] steph99 ok ok, I know, I just joined and I won't shut up, but just one more thing before I go back to my cave. Reading about the porch stuff and the leaking stuff and all that stuff reminded me of an idea that a friend of mine and I have been kind of wanting to get off the ground but we're so busy but it's worth putting on the table. For a few years, an open-ended group of us have gotten together once in a while to just shoot the shit and work on some random geeky project, from rfid to card readers to locksmithing to distilling to homemade cosmetics and crafts. A couple of us who have houses have wanted to do the same thing but with house projects, and also have kind of a housework co-op. The 2 salient ideas are to have a loose group that help each other do sustainability experiments like trying to build solar hot water heaters or Trombe walls out of trashpicked windows, and to have a loose group to help each other with home repairs. I help you with you porch this month, you help me do some pointing next month, that kind of thing. So I just want to put it out there that (standard disclaimer zomglolkthnx) I'm always super busy but if you find you need an extra pair of hands, please ask, and maybe if I need help someday I'll ask. Currently I'm getting some windows replaced so I do have a stack of glass to use for solar experiments one of these days. Dave Onion and I built a simple solar chimney-style heater over at LAVA in a weekend a couple years ago and it actually worked. I'd be up for trying more stuff like that. Has anyone used the new tool library? It seems like a great idea. link 4 comments|post comment

questions [Sep. 18th, 2007|02:00 pm] jimmi_obadger Is there a way to convey that major structural project (tear-off and replace porch floor, including a joist) really does mean major structural project? And that we'll need help means This project requires sustained effort from more than two people. Please commit to taking part or clearly say that you cannot? Anyone? Because apparently my co-owner and i did not adequately communicate this to our housemates/renters, and it led to Big Problems this weekend. Like, colossal blow-ups. Porch looks good, though. link 1 comment|post comment

property is theft [Sep. 5th, 2007|12:19 pm] jimmi_obadger ( cross-cross-posted ) Yes, of course. Because patronizing locally owned businesses which provide wellness services or create spaces to get to know one's neighbors is the sole province of well-to-do white folks. And obviously li'l ol' white homeowner me is the face of gentrification today. What with the choosing a mortgage-share structure that doesn't actually cover the mortgage, because it's that or make the house inaccessible to artists and farmers and activists. And with the working with my block to get a derelict house torn down before it fucking falls on someone. And the getting housemates to pick up the litter and the shit, and helping neighbors with their trash and sidewalks, and composting a block's worth of leaves every fall. And the keeping an eye on the street and talking to folks about suspicious goings on and encouraging them to look out for each other. And planting flowers, don't forget the flowers. Flowers are nice, and nice things = whitewashing West Philly. And i am starting classes at Penn this week because i want to be better at my job which is helping small local non-profits make ends meet, and my partner got a job at Penn after she burned out in the West Philly schools. Don't look! I sold out! Yes. I give a flying fuck, and that means i am Teh Eee-vul. Tell me why, if i am so white and wealthy and privileged and life is so easy for me, i can't get the city to fix the damage done my house during the demolition and i still have water seeping in at the unsealed spots and the joists are still rotten and now mold is growing because our excellent council person's office has been jerking us around for years? Shouldn't they all ask "how high" when i say "jump," because i am white and Penn-affiliated and i co-own a house? /rant link 8 comments|post comment

Get Psyched [Aug. 29th, 2007|06:40 pm] xreekinghavocx Subjects I'd like to post entries about or see discussion about: -Going legal -House finances -Staying legal? -Work/rent trade -Politics of buying -Politics of selling -Leases, security deposits, things of that sort -Picking new housemates -Taxes -Houses that are not legally truly collective but act like they are My house (from getbusy.pbwiki.com): Get Busy is a semi-collective, combined Victorian twin house in Cedar Park, West Philadelphia. As of September 2007, we will be 16 humans and 3 cats. Two of the humans own the building. We are between the ages of 22 and 30; working people, students, and grad students; vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores; cats and humans; food co-op members and staff; Wooden Shoe staff, librarians, scientists, musicians, artists (print, graffiti, etc), amateur carpenters, and gardeners. We are located on a quiet, tree-lined block that is very close to the 34 trolley line, the 64 bus, Mariposa Food Co-op, Satellite Cafe, Firehouse Bikes, and the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union. Get Busy is committed to being non-racist, non-sexist, non-homophobic, and non-transphobic, to being friendly with our neighbors and involved in our block, and to generally being a safe, fun, and reasonably clean house to live in and call home. We all share chores, utilities costs, a good deal of food, and the space in the house outside of our bedrooms, including the back yard and front garden. We cook together, garden together, homebrew together, etc, quite frequently but without much formal structure. We have occasional house meetings. Some non-owning housemates help with home repairs and improvements while others do not. We have house rules and leases and use a system of online spreadsheets to track house finances. One basic house rule is that the money that the two co-owners of Get Busy collect in rent each month cannot be used for our personal profit beyond paying the mortgages. Rather, it must be re-invested in the house. Our house has two living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens, twelve bedrooms, five bathrooms, two washers and dryers, four full-sized fridges, limited basic cable, and wireless internet. link post comment

this is no joke [Aug. 29th, 2007|05:51 pm] xreekinghavocx I have such a headache from plumbing-related goings-on this morning. I'm sad that the residents of the west side of my house feel that they live in a separate house. I am therefore much more their landlord than their housemate. Later tonight I'll send out invites (which hopefully won't draw too much scorn). link 5 comments|post comment

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