If you are interested in living at Whitehall, we encourage you to contact us and come by for dinner.
If we have spaces available, becoming a member of Whitehall Coop is a process that normally takes about three weeks. Basically the current members of Whitehall want to know we will enjoy living with the prospective members, the prospective member will be able to pay their rent, and the prospective member will live happily in the manner we currently live (vegetarian, consensus-run, multi-generational, environmentally considerate, shared labor, etc).
This description tends to make the process seem drawn out and complicated, but really it is a process of making friends and ensuring that prospective members and the current house are a good match. Prospective members get a deep introduction to our consensus process. With consensus all the current members of Whitehall must agree that the prospective member will be a good fit for the house.
The membership process can be summed up in the following steps:
1) Learn. Prospective members learn about Whitehall and come to think that they may be suited to living with the current members.
2) Announce. Prospective members announce that they would like to become a member of Whitehall by writing an introduction and posting it in the kitchen. Biographies should contain your name, the date, reasons for wanting to live at Whitehall, previous shared housing experiences, anticipated contributions to the Whitehall community, contact information, availability for interviews, and three references. Once the bio is posted, current members have two weeks to schedule and complete interviews.
3) Learn some more. We encourage prospective members to spend as much time as they can at Whitehall to get to see how things are running, to get to know the members of Whitehall, and let us get to know you. This is often done by prospective members coming to dinners we serve most nights of the week.
4) Get a sponsor. The prospective member should ask for or accept the offer of one of the current members to act as their "sponsor". The sponsor will be the prospective member's point of contact at the house. The sponsor will answer questions about their membership process and what further steps may be involved.
5) Participate in interviews. Members shall be available to schedule interviews with prospective member. Typically interviews occur in person, but circumstances vary and alternative methods are an option. The purpose of the interview is for existing members to get to know the prospective member as well as to share their own experiences living at Whitehall. A good time to schedule interviews is before or after dinner; however, any time can be scheduled if those involved agree. Phone interviews are allowed if the current member feels comfortable with that format.
6) Discussion ensues. After a prospective member has completed interviews with at least half of the household, members of Whitehall shall discuss their experiences and feelings about the interviewee at a house meeting. After the discussion, the sponsor shall communicate with the prospective member regarding the process and/or if the interviewee should continue pursuing further interviews. Current members are responsible for completing the interview process in the week between the first house meeting and the second. At the second discussion the goal is to come to consensus about inviting the prospective member to live at Whitehall. If consensus is not reached the prospective member's sponsor will contact them and relay the questions or concerns expressed by the current members of Whitehall. At this point an additional round of discussion may be needed to reach consensus on the prospective members acceptance into the coop.
7) Pay deposit and rent.
For more information about the house and about membership, see our Frequently Asked Questions.
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