COUCH

If I want to live in Harvest, do I have to be vegetarian?

Nope! Currently, about half of the housemates are vegetarian/vegan.

We have a policy that no raw meat can be brought into the house and that cooked meat should only be re-heated in the microwave (house pans shouldn't be used for meat). However, if you're ok with that set-up, there is no need to be vegetarian.

What is the time commitment involved when living in the house?

Including cooking, cleaning, and house meetings, about five hours a week. Part of this is regular cleaning and house upkeep. So, for example, one person might sweep the stairs, another might take out the compost, another keeps the bathroom tidy. Labor responsibilities generally take 30 min- 1 hour a week.

We also have coordinator positions. These are longer running, more big picture jobs. One person takes care of maintenance, meaning if there's something to be fixed, that person will either fix it or delegate the fixing to another housemate or to a professional. We have food shoppers who go out and buy food once a week. One or two people manage finances, and someone also manages membership and recruiting. The time commitment varies depending on the job, but typically require 15 min to an hour per week depending on the job.

About once a week, you are expected to cook dinner for the rest of the housemates. This usually involves 2 hours cooking and generally about a half hour to an hour with all the clean up.

The final time commitment is attendance at a weekly house meeting, where we discuss ongoing projects, any issues like maintenance requests, and any requests that people have of the house (ex: "please respect quiet hours"). You get to multitask by eating at the same time, but it is about an hour commitment.

How does food work? You buy it collectively, right?

Yes. Part of the monthly amount paid to the house goes towards buying food.

We have housemates whose coordinator position is to buy food from the grocery store each week and one person who orders the bulk food. Buying decisions are generally made as a group, with some judgement calls going to the food shoppers. If you ever want something specific, put it on the shopping list and they'll get it.

If you wanted it to, house food could cover all of your food needs for the month. However, you are also completely free to bring your own food into the house. Just label it with your name and no one will touch it.

Can my pet live in the house too?

Probably. Pets have to be approved by the housemates, and sometimes someone already living in the house has allergies, but we are certainly open to pets.

Pets that can live in your room are almost always ok. Bigger pets that require more space and care may not be a good fit for that particular generation of housemates. With that said, the house is generally pretty open as long as you are willing to take responsibility for the pet.

Do you offer non-full year leases?

Yes, occasionally, though room preference is given to those who are able to sign full-year leases.

What are the total costs associated with living in a COUCH house

The costs will vary depending on which house you live in. Monthly costs break down into rent, utilities and food, with set amounts for each. Please see each house's page for information about how they do it. In general, we are committed to making the houses as affordable as possible and it will cost less than living in a typical apartment in Champaign-Urbana.

Okay, so you all live in a co-op. You must be super intense hippy types...

While certain characteristics certainly trend that way - we love our garden, compost daily, believe in shared responsibility - we, for the most part, don't think of ourselves like that. We have a lot of varied interests and view points and generally don't take ourselves too seriously. We've had musicians, librarians, biologists, engineers, poets, accountants, and many more live in the house (including those that work to live, not live to work!). The main commonality between housemates is a dedication to cooperation. That said, harassment or discrimination will not be tolerated. The houses aim to be a safe space for people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups. While no one is perfect, we seek to hold each other accountable so we can continue to grow together as human beings. People come to the houses from many different countries and backgrounds, and a little discussion of cultural differences and expectations can go a long way in preventing conflict.

Are you associated with other Urbana-Champaign co-ops?

Not in any official capacity. You may have heard about Jonah Weisskopf's co-ops and/or the Roundtable houses; while we share similar vibes and are down to network and collaborate with them, those systems are privately owned while we are democratically run as a nonprofit.