Co-Resident Constitution

We, all the Residents at ______________________________________, in order to afford one another the possibility of peaceful coexistence and a hope of meaningful community under promises of mutual respect and responsibility, by signing below, agree to, and promise to abide by, each of the following terms.

A house meeting can be called with reasonable notice by any two of us.

We will normally follow a consensus decision making process. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_decision-making#Quaker-based_model)

We will decide upon House Rules to govern at least the tasks, schedule, and responsible parties for cleaning, yardwork, and administrative duties such as collecting for and paying bills, and to choose a Treasurer and Landlord Point of Contact.

We each agree to attend and participate in the process, and to abide by the group's decisions. So that consensus can work properly, we each agree to advocate in the consensus process for the benefit of the group as a whole and not for ourselves as an individual, except so far as individual rights benefit the group.

In an extreme case, if one of us refuses to participate properly or will not abide by a house decisions, then we, each and all, hereby agree that the group has the right to decide by a simple majority vote to remove the refusing or uncooperative person. By signing below I agree that if I am so removed, I will move out within 30 days after the vote: in good order, replacing myself with an acceptable Substitute, and holding the landlord and other housemates harmless in connection with my removal.

Each of us agrees to pay our share of the rent on time. Each agrees to notify the group as early as possible of an expected inability to pay the rent, in which case the person agrees to replace themselves in good order before the beginning of the rental period for which rent payment cannot be made.

We will each pay 1/6 rent additional during the first month of this Constitution to be kept for safekeeping by our House Treasurer and to be used as an emergency fund in case one of us cannot meet their rent share, on condition that that person move out and replace themselves in good order within a month of using the emergency fund.

The parties to this Agreement have executed it by their dated signatures below. As residents turn over, additional parties to this agreement may join it by signing below, effective the date of their signature, and departing residents may indicate their departure date if co-signed by another resident.

NameSignatureStart DateDeparture DateDeparture Co-Signature