Cooperative Living in Prescott : AZ IMC

Cooperative Living in Prescott

Over the past year several Prescott College students and Prescott community members have been meeting under the umbrella of the Sustainable Housing and Cooperative Development organization, or SHACD. They plan to develop resources residents can use to put more intention into their daily lives and relationships, reducing unnecessary consumption and living together cooperatively.

“The idea behind SHACD is the sum of the whole is greater than its parts,” said Dana Launius, SHACD founding member. “If I have something that you need, and vice versa, we can work together in cooperation to meet our goals. SHACD is about creating a network,” says Launius.

“Within the next year SHACD is looking to purchase their first property” said Geoff Boyce, SHACD founding member. “The goals and activities of SHACD extend far beyond cooperative housing,” said Boyce. SHACD has already begun a food-share cooperative through Magpie co-op on Gurley Street, a community garden cooperative on Summit and McCormick Streets, and is working on developing a tool-share co-op. SHACD is also working in supportive of other collectives like the Coda co-op, a biodiesel cooperative and the Catalyst Infoshop collective, both on McCormick Street.

Prescott is considered an ideal community to establish a housing cooperative for several reasons. “There is a large student and young adult population and other traditional renters in Prescott. Cooperative housing is also attractive to single adults of any age, particularly those on a fixed income,” says Boyce.

With rising property costs in the Tri-city area, cooperative housing has the ability to offer affordable housing and to their control resources. Through cooperative organization their regular rent payments contribute to an organization and legacy that will continue after their residency in Prescott.

While the SHACD co-op sees itself as drawing from the tradition of student cooperative housing that has sprung up on campuses throughout the country, it aims to work with many different populations in the Prescott area, providing access and control over affordable housing to those who need it.

Starting in the 1920s cooperative housing was seen as a meaningful alternative for students on campuses throughout the country, and with the countercultural boom of the 1960s and 70s student co-ops exploded. There are several national associations for cooperative housing and business, among them the North American Students of Co-operation (or NASCO) of whom SHACD is a member.

SHACD has regular meetings—find out when by contacting the Catalyst at 443.8525. SHACD will hold a Masquerade Ball fundraiser event at the Sam Hill Warehouse on March 26 at 8 p.m.