The Genesee Valley Cooperative was an idea that came from a few students cooking meals together in a dorm into an organization recognized by North American Students of Cooperation, the largest organization for student housing cooperatives in the united states. Generally speaking, housing cooperatives are a business organized around the housing needs of its members. Student housing cooperatives typ
ically house anywhere between ten and fifty people and are situated off campus, away from tradition forms of student housing. In the cooperative structure, residents of the house are co-owners of the property, taking equal responsibility for the maintenance, finances, and general success of the property. The cooperative (incorporated as a non-profit) is the legal owners of the property, which allows residents to save money on rent, utilities and groceries by pooling resources. As with most cooperatives, the Genesee Valley Cooperative follows the Rochdale Principles and promote collaboration and community service done by members for mutual benefit. The Rochdale Principles:
1) Voluntary and Open Membership
2) Democratic Member Control
3) Member Economic Participation
4) Autonomy and Independence
5) Education, Training, and Information
7) Concern for Community
Useful links:
North American Students of Cooperation
http://www.nasco.coop/
Inter Cooperative Council
http://www.icc.coop/index.php
University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Cooperatives http://www.uwcc.wisc.edu/
