[sudo-discuss] The Omni is happening - PLEASE REVIEW & DISCUSS!

[Matthew Senate]

Added David's draft FAQ to the sudo room wiki to be improved:

https://sudoroom.org/wiki/The_Omni/FAQ


On Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 1:44 AM, Patrik D'haeseleer <patrikd at gmail.com>wrote:

> I took a stab at enumerating and measuring some of the rooms on the
> floorplan, so we can come up with a somewhat more rational price list. The
> attached image files are rescaled to 1 pixel per inch, and I added numbers
> in square brackets to distinguish between all the storage spaces etc. If
> someone wants to fill in some more numbers, feel free - just measure
> dimensions in pixels, and divide by 12 for feet...
>
> I completely agree that there's some organizations such as Food not Bombs
> that we want to collectively support by giving them free or reduced cost
> space, and I'm excited about having them be part of the Omni.
>
> But I would much rather have a standard price list written down, so that
> when we do decide to deviate from that standard price, we do it as a
> conscious decision, rather than negotiating different rates for each
> individual group that is part of the Omni through some ad-hoc handwavy
> process.
>
> Partly, I also see this as a matter or transparency. When inevitable
> someone asks "how come this other group pays so much less rent then us",
> the answer should be clear-cut: (a) because they have less pace / no
> windows / are in the basement, or (b) because we collectively decided to
> support them by charging a lower rent (and here's the process to apply, if
> you'd like to receive similar support). The answer should not be "I guess
> they just offered a smaller rate than you suckers".
>
> Anyway - back to numbers:
>
> After subtracting the raised platform etc., the Bocce Ball court works out
> to 2785 sqft. CCL would like to request the half of the court closest to
> the plumbing, because we will need to install one or two additional sinks
> for the lab. If we add the two storage spaces at that end as well (storage
> [4] and [5]), that would be 1657 sqft total. At $2000 in rent, that would
> work out to $1.20/sqft, which is still entirely reasonable, given all the
> other shared space that comes with it.
>
> Patrik
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 12:19 AM, David Keenan <dkeenan44 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Hi Everybody -
>>
>> Answers to Matt and Phil's entirely understandable worries and requests
>> for info are embedded into the following FAQ. They've come up before many
>> times, least of all by me and many others. Its 1000% natural they would
>> come up again as this six-month effort finally starts bearing some fruit,
>> as pledges of support are made real and this comes closer to reality.
>>
>> Sorry for the text wall, but this is a big deal, and there are obviously
>> a hell of a lot of moving parts.
>>
>> I love you all..
>>
>> *Who is Omni?*
>> - An association of the following collectives...:
>>   Sudo Room (hackerspace!)
>>   Bay Area Public School (BAPS / free school)
>>   Counter-Culture Labs (CCL / citizen science)
>>   Food Not Bombs (FNB / feeds us regularly)
>>   Timeless, Infinite Light (TIL / print resource center: OccuCopy meets
>> letterpress beautifulness)
>>   Live Space (dance collective including SALTA dance collective)
>>   Oakland Nights Live (ONL / live civic talk show!)
>>   Black Hole Cinema's Labs (Sweet Tooth's movie film development lab)
>>   HackerSpa (wellness center providing space for body workers in our
>> community)
>>   La Commune bookstore-cafe (is what it sounds like :)
>>   Creative Empowerment Project (CEP / Kazoo's screenprinting & vocational
>> training studio)
>>
>> *Why are there so many groups?*
>>  Because the building we are currently looking at is huge - I mean huge -
>> and really unique: almost 22,000 square feet.
>>
>> *What is Omni trying to do? *
>> The idea is, we all move in together to a single location in order to:
>>
>> - help amplify one another's work through a shared vision of social
>> justice and solidarity, within our already-imbricated communities of
>> interest and the public, in a way not possible when physically distant and
>> spread out across the Bay Area.
>>
>> - The idea was born out of how Sudo and BAPS currently share space in a
>> way that benefits not only both of these groups, but our community as a
>> whole, more than it would were we apart. To this end think of a way bigger,
>> better space for Sudo and BAPS.. and with room for others who already
>> regularly host, attend, schedule, and benefit regularly from events,
>> classes and meetups at our space. The idea is a bigger, more beautiful,
>> more collective, more effective version of 2141 Broadway at an
>> unprecedented scale for all involved.
>>
>> - We will radically share space, equipment, and talents, ideating and
>> productively collaborating with one another and our community in ways that
>> will be unprecedented. This will be a huge win for our communities in
>> common and the underserved needs of Oakland to a measure that frankly
>> dwarfs what we can achieve independently, on smaller scales.
>>
>> - We will provide free or subsidized space for vital community groups and
>> members of the public without adequate financial resources to meet and work
>> elsewhere (such as FNB), much as we Sudo/BAPS already does. I personally
>> hope we can get as many community groups in to use unused, affordable space
>> as possible - I am thinking of Critical Resistance, Justice Now, and others
>> in that vein.
>>
>> - We will lease with the option to buy the building we are looking at, at
>> a preset price - to take it off the market and preserve it for community
>> use FOREVER, in concert with a Land Trust, with whom we are in
>> negotiations. *The whole idea from the start is we buy a building*.
>> Meaning we will not have to keep chasing low rents. To start with, we rent
>> it, locking in as a condition of the lease a purchase price.
>>
>> - The idea can be summed up: Omni is a Commons with a roof. Full on. That
>> is the idea.
>>
>> *What else about the Omni collective?*
>> - Beyond the above goal, the point of the Omni collective is NOT to
>> function as any sort of governing body for the groups involved in any
>> general sense. There are no senators. Its only and sole point is to
>> administer the space, pay bills, make group decisions about the shared
>> space, resolve any conflicts between the groups in the space, interface
>> with the state, banks, authorities, etc. Logistics and bureaucracy: That's
>> it.
>>
>> *Where / what is this Omni building? *
>> It's an amazing, vast building on Shattuck and 48th. It's an old rock
>> club, before that, a Scavenger Worker's Leisure Club (Ligure Club).. that
>> was also in all functional terms a collective, when they built the
>> building.
>>
>> It features:
>> - a huge ballroom / event space about 2/3 the size of GAMH
>> - an industrial kitchen & walk-in freezer (needs fixing up)
>> - a massive back room with ability to build out lofts/rooms
>> - 55'-ish ceilings
>> - massive basement with windows above street level (currently blacked out)
>> - a separate room that used to function as a disco (with lighted floor)
>> - a warren of odd little rooms, a stage, lots of bathrooms
>>
>>  *Ok.. Wait though. Isn't that area gentrified? Are we serving the right
>> community? *
>> Good point.
>>
>> One block on the other side of the freeway from this building, it is most
>> definitely not gentrified at all, for a long, long ways. I haven't run the
>> stats, but ride your bike around MLK and you will see the residential
>> density there is greater, or at least as great, than the radius around
>> 22nd/Bway. In terms of proximity, we would, I believe, stand to serve a
>> larger underserved community than where we do now, or at least as large.
>>
>> Now - the actual block the Omni is on? Yes - hella gentrified. It being
>> just on the other side of the tracks, literally and metaphorically.
>>
>> What is the argument for moving into a gentrified block? Personally,
>> after living through waves of gentrification in multiple cities, and as a
>> skater (and I guess, all but getting a degree in this at school but whatev)
>> I personally believe that if Sudo and BAPS moved into the middle of a
>> depressed neighborhood we could easily function indirectly as the shock
>> troops of gentrification, regardless of our politics or will to the
>> otherwise.
>>
>> In fact, I would argue, and this is just me, but I think that we are
>> indirectly part of a process of gentrification already at 2141, even though
>> I hate that. This awareness has been brought up innumerable times over the
>> last year by members of BAPS and Sudoers as well. Its also from what I've
>> heard, from multiple people, a major reason for the Holdout's demise. Like
>> all of you most likely, I've been through many agonizing discussions about
>> gentrification, because we realize it can appropriate the very fact of our
>> presence, even as we hate that it can. I mean we have First Friday events
>> which is indelibly a massive gentrifying force for that neighborhood for
>> example.
>>
>> Developers would like nothing more than for Sudo to move into a depressed
>> area / block, and help culturally and economically 'revitalize' it. This is
>> the signature of Capital behind all the good intentions of the folks trying
>> to fix up 8th & Alice - not at all like an evil plan, more like just the
>> systemic replication of exploitation that is inherent to the current
>> system. The fact is economic 'renewal' 99% displaces those invisibilized
>> communities that are already there. So, I dunno - wouldn't be nice to not
>> be a part of that?
>>
>> If anything, the Omni as envisioned intends as much as possible to
>> function as an instrument de-gentrification and reclaim that neighborhood
>> for a community in need of all we endeavor to provide. For me this is a
>> part of what makes the project radical and unparalleled in some respects -
>> this is a taking back, a restaking of space away from the forces of
>> development. The entire issue of gentrification is obviated by the fact
>> that it already is gentrified, so we're not fucking up the neighborhood.
>> But we do get to help those who could benefit from a DIY space, who live
>> right nearby.
>>
>> I know not everyone will agree with this argument - I know maybe
>> something better and more utopian may come by - but are we really going to
>> wait forever for the perfect building on top of a bart station? It's not
>> perfect, but I'm not down for waiting for utopia. I'm down for hacking one
>> together, which is what this is.
>>
>> *Shouldn't we be closer to BART / PT (@Phil) ?*
>> It's true, the Omni is 8 blocks from MacArthur BART, so, 5 whole blocks
>> longer than we currently walk.
>>
>> Although MacArthur BART now has plenty of parking unlike 19th St, and a
>> bus line runs regularly along Telegraph a block away so it is readily
>> accessible 24/7 by public transit. And it is right by the 51st/MLK fwy
>> exit, of course.
>>
>> Is the time cost of 5 extra blocks mean a 'fraction' of those who now
>> come to Sudo will come to the Omni?
>>
>> I actually think - know - far, far more people will be coming by Sudo at
>> the Omni, than at our current space. Because a lot more will be going on at
>> the Omni than our current space, but mostly because our current space, as a
>> space, really sucks in more ways than I can count (which is why we're
>> trying to move) in spite of the fact that it is closer to a bart station. I
>> have heard countless times how people wished Sudo and BAPS were located in
>> a less oppressive-feeling space. The Omni inverts that entirely..
>>
>> But the main answer to this line of thinking about BART proximity
>> specifically, is that the building itself is fucking amazing..it is worth
>> the 5 blocks, in my view. I don't know how else to put this. What we can do
>> together in this building is just... well in my view it is simply worth an
>> extra few minutes of ambulating. It's that good. Would you rather have
>> awesome-r digs, or be closer to bart? After a year at 2141, and seeing the
>> Omni, I am telling you, that particular decision is an easy one for me at
>> least.
>>
>> *What about foot traffic (@Phil)? *
>> This neighborhood has a ton of foot traffic. Foot traffic in front of
>> this particular building on this block, right now, while in fact probably
>> more than at our current 22nd entrance that people actually use, is
>> relatively low compared to a block up on Tele because basically the
>> building is half a block long and and never open, so no one goes by there.
>>
>> You need only go one block up to Telegraph to see that foot traffic is at
>> least as prevalent as on Broadway. The Depot for Creative Reuse is
>> caty-corner across the street. I think if you walk around there you'll see
>> that foot traffic in that neighborhood is not a huge concern.
>>
>> *What about neighbors (@Phil)? Aren't they residential? Won't they hate
>> us and not let us do anything we wanna do?*
>>
>> - Neighbors to the north, east and south are not residential, they are
>> businesses. Nobody above or below (standalone building).
>>
>> - In terms of noise, adjacent the north, east, and south are empty space
>> (street, parking lot).
>>
>> - Also the east side double-doors (ballroom entrance) is extremely,
>> professionally soundproofed, to the level of meeting city codes for a rock
>> club, so I don't think that's an issue there for Sudo events and BAPS
>> lectures, etc.
>>
>> - Neighbors to the west down 48th are residential, for that one block up
>> to the freeway. They do not face the entrance/front of the building, and no
>> one will really walk down 48th from the Omni to anywhere, so there should
>> be minimal foot traffic. In addition they are putting in 2hr stickered
>> parking soon, so there will be less incentive to park there for the Omni.
>>
>> - I have been informally talking to neighbors, both residential and
>> commercial, and have gotten only positive responses so far. I have yet to
>> present to them formally, precisely because we have to have discussions
>> like this internally, before I do that.. now is the time.
>>
>> - In every way the Omni neighbors are farther away, and there is far, far
>> more sound insulation, in terms of barriers and distance, than in our
>> current digs at 2141. If you have ever gotten noise complaints from our
>> current landlord, or downstairs from the Pan Theatre, that organizers
>> typically get, I think you would agree.
>>
>> - Our current co-tenants on the floor on 2141 are much closer to us than
>> any other business or residence, with the exception of a house immediately
>> west of the Omni. This house is insulated by two thick load-bearing
>> external walls. Concern for them is certainly a legit concern, but not a
>> strong one in my view. They probably hear more sound from people on the
>> sidewalk, but they are located far from the entrance to the building.
>>
>> - In terms of holding events and any attendant ruckus, we are already in
>> a FAR better place legally, structurally and spatially to do this at the
>> Omni than we ever will be in our current space. Do we have CUPs for public
>> assembly? Do we have a cabaret license? Do we pull permits for events? No -
>> it's not even a fair comparison; if anything the Omni offers us a fair shot
>> to do that legitimately, which we don't even do now. And I have run this by
>> the peeps at the planning department, by aides at the city, by 2
>> architects, a commercial real estate lawyer and a real estate broker
>> specializing in cooperative spaces, and of course everyone whos ever come
>> to meetings about this..
>>
>> *What about parking (@Phil)? *
>> First of all, if you think parking around 2141 is easy, then you will
>> have no problem parking around the Omni.
>>
>> Because, I personally think parking around 2141 is terrible. Having
>> countless times at both places, I can tell you, honestly, it is at least as
>> bad at the Omni. It might even be better around the Omni actually. But
>> regardless this is a legit concern.
>>
>> Re: Omni parking, there is a big empty lot behind Frazee's paints that is
>> slated to become a parking lot. I've talked to City people about this lot.
>> We could have some of these spaces - even re-rent them, or ask those who
>> drive in to the Omni to pay.. just as we often have to do for street
>> parking around 2141. Personally I would like to encourage people not to
>> drive. To this end an aspect of our plan is to provide indoor bike parking.
>> If and when we can afford it, to also provide an Omni shuttle to and from
>> bart, maybe even a pedicab service.. (that's speculation obviously, but was
>> actually suggested to me by an aide at the city.)
>>
>> *Are external signage possibilities limted? (@Phil)*
>> This is funny actually, because existing codes for the the last business
>> use of the Omni actually mandate that there be big external signage, to
>> notify the neighborhood of upcoming events.. so, no I don't think that's a
>> concern :)
>>
>> *Is the building at risk of having landmark status (@Phil)?*
>> No. Both myself and the building owner have recently talked to the woman
>> at the planning department who handles historic buildings. We are in good
>> shape. She is supportive of the project and actually offered to help us!
>>
>> *Noise, smog re: Freeway proximity (@Phil)?*
>> I don't really hear the freeway when I'm there.. but maybe I was not
>> paying attention, but it isn't really noticeable to me. I didn't notice any
>> particularly bad air quality, but it seems fine - I suggest you stroll
>> around there and check it out. I haven't heard this concern before so I
>> don't think it's something people who have visited the building and been
>> around there are worried about. So to me, this is not a concern.
>>
>> *Okay.. But can we all actually pay the freaking rent (@Matt)? *
>> In short, yes. Unless Sudo backs out. In which case, no.
>>
>> *Can we prove we can pay the rent, with concrete information (@Matt)?* Yes..
>> but, I'm actually not sure how to do this on a public listserv? I can say
>> the following:
>>
>> - We presently have a combination of donations and a long-term
>> no-interest loan by people in our community that will cover first months'
>> rent and deposit (move-in costs).
>>
>> This is in addition to the month-to-month rent commitments made by the
>> collectives (and their delegates) themselves. We knew the barrier to entry
>> in the form of move-in costs would be a big burden on us. But you know,
>> this is what we have been fundraising for, again, for months. This did not
>> materialize overnight. It was the result of a lot of hard work.
>>
>> - Rental amounts have been discussed by member collectives and delegates
>> for months in most cases, at every meeting. These amounts have fluctuated
>> to reflect reality of what members can afford. Everyone knows what is at
>> stake. This is not just a fairytale dream.. well heck, it is a dream, but a
>> dream we have all worked hard to bring to the brink of reality. Does it
>> involve a level of trust? Yes - of course. Do I have any doubts that we
>> won't pull through? At this point? No.
>>
>> - Am I expected to dump suitcases full of cash onto the conference table
>> Wednesday, or.. Anyone who wants more details on this please email me
>> offlist or just ring me?
>>
>> *What are the terms of the lease (i.e. the full contract)?*
>> Ok - the proposed terms of the lease are finally just now starting to be
>> negotiated, in that we are finally starting to actually make
>> counterproposals. Why has this taken so long? Purely in terms of
>> negotiating, we were for a long time in a position where we could not
>> negotiate further with the owner until we were approaching the ability to
>> actually write a check, and that is approaching fast. There were other
>> complicated phases of the process that slowed it down, that I'm not going
>> to get into here, but would be happy to discuss in person.
>>
>> I am just uncomfortable detailing this ongoing negotiation on a publicly
>> archived, searchable listserv while we are talking about the best terms.
>> Not that I will not tell anyone who asks me via email or in person - I
>> will! - but not on this list, is all.
>>
>> We talk about the money openly at every Omni meeting, to which anyone can
>> attend. This stuff IS transparent folks, but I just don't want it
>> googleable on a public forum, right now, because it can put this whole
>> project at risk. We already know the owner peruses our sites. Right?
>> Possibly, probably reading this as soon as its up. If that makes things
>> clearer?
>>
>> That said - I can say the terms have already come down significantly,
>> and:
>>
>> - We can collectively afford our rent as is, at least for the first year.
>> I will show you the spreadsheets.
>>
>> - We will have the first+deposit covered by donations and interest-free
>> personal loan.
>>
>> - Sudo's part would be $2K/mo.
>>
>> *Lease length (2 years, 3 years?) (@Matt):*
>> - We can sign a 2 or longer year lease. Up to us. Less than 2 years would
>> be a hard sell. More than 2 years is easier.
>>
>> *Landlord in or out? (@Matt):*
>> - Up to us entirely: If he can stay there for ~3 months while he moves,
>> the rent will be a lot lower for those months. If we don't want him to
>> stay, he'll vacate in 30 days, but then we dont get a break during those
>> first ~three months.
>>
>> *Rent-to-own option or not (@Matt)?*
>> Currently we are planning rent with an option to buy. This means:
>> - Owner can't sell the building during the duration of the lease
>> - Owner agrees to sell us the building at a set price at any time up to
>> the end of the lease term; ie to come up with the downpayment for the
>> mortgage.
>> - 100% owner-financed loan for purchase means no banks / pre-approval,
>> just his approval.
>>
>> We can do either rent-to-own or rent-with-an-option-to-buy. They both
>> amount ultimately to much the same thing in the end, it really depends on
>> how much we want to pay each month. If we want to pay into a mortgage on
>> top of rent, we rent-to-own - this costs us more per month. If we want to
>> minimize our monthly expenses, we pay rent, save up the money for a
>> mortgage downpayment on our own, then make that downpayment when we have
>> it. In this case our funding drive for the downpayment would be 2 or 3
>> years - the duration of the lease.
>>
>> *What are the terms of space usage? (@Matt)*
>>
>> In the current envisioning, Sudo would have to itself:
>> - Half the bocce ball court room (giant back area), shared with CCL in
>> the other half
>> - This area is handicapped accessible, with handicapped-accessible
>> bathrooms, & street access.
>> - This area has massive, 55ft(?) ceilings with ample space to make add'l
>> rooms, lofts, balconies, etc
>>
>> Shared areas:
>> - numerous little rooms around the building for meetups
>> - part of the large basement area for heavy making
>> - shared/scheduled use of the ballroom for events, meetups as needed (as
>> we currently do with our common area). This area is way bigger than our
>> current common area by multiples
>> - A cafe/bookstore to hang out in
>> - rooftop access (could be made easier to access) above disco room for
>> garden, mesh, everything
>>
>> *Who moves where? (@Matt)*
>>
>> All groups: have use of shared space
>>
>>  BAPS: mobile units - based out of a balcony room in the ballroom, having
>> classes in unused space around the building as needed
>>
>>  CCL: Half bocce ball court room, part of basement area
>>
>>  SR: Same
>>
>>  FNB: Shares basement industrial kitchen & food storage area with
>> cafe-bookstore, hopefully serve food too upstairs to the community - either
>> in the cafe, or the ballroom, etc
>>
>>  TIL: 2nd floor, Balcony room above bar, on corner of shattuck / 48th (NE
>> corner)
>>
>>  Live Space: Disco room in back (NW corner)
>>
>>  ONL: Uses ballroom area for performances, some storage in the building
>> somewhere
>>
>>  Black hole labs: would use part of the basement to jumpstart their
>> celluloid film development lab for local filmmakers
>>
>>  HackerSpa wellness center: Cluster of rooms between bar and bocce ball
>> court room
>>
>>  La Commune bookstore-cafe: Bar area
>>
>>  CEP: Part of basement (screenprinting gear)
>>
>> We need to go over the floor plan, but point being - we do have a space
>> for everyone that people are good with -
>>
>> *Which areas are exclusive (private) or inclusive (common)? (@Matt):*
>>
>> Shared areas:
>> - Ballroom (scheduled mostly as per current Common room)
>> - Parts of the basement
>> - numerous small rooms around the building that are currently unused - ie
>> 3 in basement, probably like 5 elsewhere in the building
>> - big ol cafe to hang out in
>> - much more space than Sudo currently has
>>
>> - Private: as described above
>>
>> *What is the protocol for conflicts and concerns between (or across
>> members of) Omni Oakland sub-collectives?*
>> To some extent re: how the delegate structure works, see:
>> https://sudoroom.org/wiki/The_Omni/2014-04-03#The_Omni_Oakland_Collective
>>
>> In terms of conflict resolution, that has come up several times and we
>> are working on that now - we are looking at the terms Sudo uses that (from
>> what I understand) were originally cribbed from Noisebridge. This is an
>> area we need to work on - we have been mostly focused on the financials,
>> apportioning space and accruing the will to come together and do this.
>>
>> We also have to work more on our articles of incorporation and
>> association. We are working actively on that.
>>
>> *Additionally, what rights and responsibilities do members of the public
>> (or as I usually say for sudo, which I think applies here, "prospective
>> members" of any of our collectives) have? (@Matt)*
>>
>> In broad terms - my view:
>>
>> For the entire space, members of the public have a responsibility to
>> abide by the accepted rules of the space assented to by all the collectives
>> within it, which will be akin to the safe space policy Sudo currently has
>> in place @ 2141, and although we haven't voted on it yet, a conflict
>> resolution policy in line with what Sudo already has.
>>
>> Each collective additionally maintains its own subset of rules for itself
>> and members of the public in its own localized dedicated area within the
>> building, that are not in conflict with rules and values for the whole
>> space.
>>
>> Its conceivable that the public may not be allowed free reign over 100%
>> of the space and its materials all the time. For example, I can imagine if
>> there are dance rehearsals, Live Space may not always want that public. If
>> there is film development going on in a darkroom, its possible they may not
>> want the door open randomly. If TIL's letterpress machine is in the
>> basement, the public may need to be trained on how to use it before using
>> it. The same way that not everyone has access to root on Sudo's Mediawiki
>> off the bat - there are conditions. CCL may have machines and rooms that
>> not everyone in the public is able to just freely use unless they have the
>> requisite knowledge. Stuff like that. Make sense..?
>>
>> *Can one be affiliated and pursue membership rights and responsibilities
>> in the space without being a member of an existing collective or pursuing a
>> new collective to add to the Omni Oakland body? (@Matt):*
>>
>> Any person can propose a collective to be accepted by the existing
>> collectives into the project. It's not guaranteed that every person or
>> collective will jive with what we are building or be a good fit. Thats not
>> exclusionary, thats just building the right collective on the basis of
>> cultural affinity. At some point free space will also be a consideration.
>> This is really no different than the current existing state of how things
>> run already at BAPS and Sudo to my knowledge.
>>
>> We are actively seeking groups and collectives to build our community and
>> make it even more awesome. We are looking for people who share our values.
>>
>> The entire point of the effort is to transform a building into a commons
>> for civic and public use, and change the way we work together and work to
>> help our community. In general, it is as public-focused as Sudo and BAPS
>> already are.
>>
>> *Do the member collectives' pledges of payment hold water? (@Matt)*
>> To my knowledge, yes. We've been planning this for months and discuss
>> this every week.
>>
>> *For existing member collectives can we start collecting rent
>> contributions immediately (to be paid forward to rent after any agreed-upon
>> contract is signed)? (@Matt)*
>> This has been discussed obviously. We will start this forthwith. Remember
>> we have donations and a loan that forms the basis of the barriers to entry.
>> We just received paperwork of our CA NP status, so we can open a bank
>> account just for the collective. Partly we're also waiting on Land Trust
>> fiscal sponsorship which will make things easier on donors. But the money
>> is there, with or without that.
>>
>> I want to say one last thing and that is we can come up with a million
>> reasons why every T wasnt crossed or that we aren't uber-prepared. We're
>> not. We're doing very best we can, with what we have, where we are. Which
>> is what hacking is, to me. It's not a perfect situation. Not every
>> contingency has been thought of. There is risk, yes. We're not trying to
>> plan our way into imaginary utopias or wait for the perfect situation or
>> building or set of circumstances. We're trying to hack something crazily
>> ambitious into life, with all the love we have.
>>
>>
>> David
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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