Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I sign up for a shorter lease?
A. No. Member leases run 12 months from August 15 to August 15 of the following year. However, there are sometimes openings at other times during the year. The individual house membership coordinators will indicate when the next openings are expected, whether there are summer openings, and whether early move in is possible. All leases are for a full year (August 15th to August 15th of the following year) unless you move in in the middle of a lease cycle (i.e. not on August 15th). In that case your lease will start at your move in date and end on the following Aug 15th. Sub lessors have to be approved for membership by the house.
Q. Who joins a co-op?
A. Co-op members are students and non-students. This includes but is not limited to: old and young professionals, community members, grads students, post docs, undergrads, international students, and locals. Houses strive for gender balance and the average age of all houses is roughly 25. It's always good to tell your membership coordinator if you have any pet or food allergies. All houses are pet friendly, but some houses may not be able to have pets due to current members with animal allergies.
Q. What type of participation should I expect if I live in a co-op house?
A. Members are expected to attend house meetings once a week, pair up and cook once a week for the whole house, and perform common area house chores. Members contribute about 5-6 hours of week labor into the house in the form of cooking, washing dishes, paying bills, grocery shopping, and cleaning common areas. If you are actively interested in participating in all aspects of the house organization, then a co-op may be a good fit. In addition to signing a traditional lease for your room, you will sign a membership participation agreement outlining member responsibilities and expectations.
Q. Why do people live in a co-op?
A. The benefits of living in a co-op include 4 to 5 home cooked meals per week, an open kitchen for snacking, quality communal space, a social environment, a sense of community, healthy eating, and sharing resources as a way to live more environmentally friendly.
Q. What if I have a pet or I want to get a pet. Can I bring a pet into a co-op house?
A. Some houses do have members with pets. If a member wants to bring a pet into the house, it must be agreed upon by the entire house. If you are applying for membership, please let us know if you have any pet allergies or if you desire to bring a pet.
Q. Are you associated with other Urbana-Champaign Co-ops?
A. Not in any official capacity. You may have heard about the Couch co-ops, but those systems are democratically run as a nonprofit, while ours are privately owned by Jonah Weisskopf.
A. No. Member leases run 12 months from August 15 to August 15 of the following year. However, there are sometimes openings at other times during the year. The individual house membership coordinators will indicate when the next openings are expected, whether there are summer openings, and whether early move in is possible. All leases are for a full year (August 15th to August 15th of the following year) unless you move in in the middle of a lease cycle (i.e. not on August 15th). In that case your lease will start at your move in date and end on the following Aug 15th. Sub lessors have to be approved for membership by the house.
Q. Who joins a co-op?
A. Co-op members are students and non-students. This includes but is not limited to: old and young professionals, community members, grads students, post docs, undergrads, international students, and locals. Houses strive for gender balance and the average age of all houses is roughly 25. It's always good to tell your membership coordinator if you have any pet or food allergies. All houses are pet friendly, but some houses may not be able to have pets due to current members with animal allergies.
Q. What type of participation should I expect if I live in a co-op house?
A. Members are expected to attend house meetings once a week, pair up and cook once a week for the whole house, and perform common area house chores. Members contribute about 5-6 hours of week labor into the house in the form of cooking, washing dishes, paying bills, grocery shopping, and cleaning common areas. If you are actively interested in participating in all aspects of the house organization, then a co-op may be a good fit. In addition to signing a traditional lease for your room, you will sign a membership participation agreement outlining member responsibilities and expectations.
Q. Why do people live in a co-op?
A. The benefits of living in a co-op include 4 to 5 home cooked meals per week, an open kitchen for snacking, quality communal space, a social environment, a sense of community, healthy eating, and sharing resources as a way to live more environmentally friendly.
Q. What if I have a pet or I want to get a pet. Can I bring a pet into a co-op house?
A. Some houses do have members with pets. If a member wants to bring a pet into the house, it must be agreed upon by the entire house. If you are applying for membership, please let us know if you have any pet allergies or if you desire to bring a pet.
Q. Are you associated with other Urbana-Champaign Co-ops?
A. Not in any official capacity. You may have heard about the Couch co-ops, but those systems are democratically run as a nonprofit, while ours are privately owned by Jonah Weisskopf.
