This is a working document that hasn’t been approved by the community. It is part of the Membership Process. It is similar to the Community Greenlight because it describes an event between two stages of the Membership Process. This document was crafted based on the Brainstorm at the 2010-01-25 Meeting and it includes questions relevant to becoming a member of the housing coop in the future, and some inline notes for possible changes. If you want to leave comments follow the inline comment format click the comments link at the bottom left corner of the screen.
The Community Approval of Full Membership is the transition event from “Provisional Member” to “Full Member”.
A “Provisional Member"has all but blocking privileges; being a “Full Member” implies having blocking privileges in our consensus decision making process. This decision can be scheduled 6 months after the applicant has become a Provisional Member.
At this point the community can decide one of the following options:
- Remove provisional status – if the fit seems good.
- Extend provisional status – if the provisional member has not met expectations (participation, etc.), but has the potential to remedy the situation.
- Decline membership – if there is a clear mismatch with the community (i.e. repeated violation of agreements such as non-payment of rent, disrespectful behavior, etc).
Full Membership decisions may be requested by the applicant or the Bienvenidos Committee to be scheduled at a Community Meeting. The applicant is expected to attend the meeting.
In community consideration there are two basic questions, both of which must be answered yes for the applicant to be approved as a Full Member:
1. Is the applicant ready?
2. Is the community ready?
For the first question, the community should consider questions along the lines of:
1A. Does the applicant enjoy and value living at LAEV? Is the applicant still excited to be here?
1B. Is the applicant motivated and available to attend meetings?
1C. Has the applicant felt welcomed?
1D. What is the applicant’s experience with joining groups and committees?
1E. Does the applicant’s presence enhance LAEV?
1F. Has the applicant been in conflict with other members? What was the outcome? How did it feel?
1G. Does the applicant pay rent on time? What is the applicant’s relationship with money?
- these could be formulated directly to the applicant, as in “do you enjoy living at LAEV? Are you still excited to be here?”
For the second question, the community should consider questions along the lines of:
2A. How is this person making LAEV more or less diverse?
2B. Does anyone have concerns about the applicant being in the community for the foreseeable future?
2C. Is the applicant participating enough? How has it been?
2D. Is the applicant consistent with what was said in the questionnaire?
2E. What is the applicant’s standard of care for shared spaces?
Suggestions for facilitation: This is community decision so quorum must be reached. The applicant can respond to these and other questions posed by attending persons. Then all non-members are asked to leave the room, including the candidate. There is a go-around, and when a decision is made and the candidate is asked to step in the room again.