issue 168


Find issue #168 (Fall 2015) – “Community and the Law” of Communities Magazine here!

Nobody Likes Bosses

Posted on November 1, 2015 by

Even an anti-authoritarian household needs agreements—but who and how to enforce them is another question.


My Squat Law Journey

Posted on October 21, 2015 by

After years of advocacy, social justice work, and on-the-ground experience, a squatter passes the bar exam.


Land Use Regulations, Urban Planners, and Intentional Communities

Posted on October 11, 2015 by
1 Comment

A century since the United States’ first citywide zoning ordinance, community founders can find support in unexpected places when navigating land use laws.


My Struggle to Legalize Sustainable Living

Posted on October 1, 2015 by
8 Comments

After nearly three decades of activity, a pioneering eco-community collapses under the weight of legal attacks by a small group of neighbors.


It Takes All Kinds to Raise a Village

Posted on September 21, 2015 by

After an engaged local citizenry creates cultural shifts, a city endorses rather than prosecutes code-bending strategies that promote resilient community.


My Intentional Community and the Law

Posted on September 11, 2015 by

Breitenbush has a long history of dealing with legalities and illegalities, from installing a volcano as their “boiler” and blocking old-growth logging to successfully petitioning for a zoning variance.


Zoning Nightmare: Hartford’s Scarborough Street House

Posted on September 1, 2015 by

An unconventional family fights to stay in their collective house in the face of antiquated local ordinances which suppress community living.


It’s the Law

Posted on August 25, 2015 by
3 Comments

Communal living is no escape from dealing with legal issues and challenges coming from both within and outside the group.


Community and the Law, #168 Contents

Posted on August 21, 2015 by

Community and the Law can be uneasy bedfellows. Some intentional communities are hobbled by legal restrictions—especially zoning, building codes, and permitting requirements—or by other effects, both within and outside the group, of a complaint-driven legal system. Yet some groups are able to forge new approaches and help change codes and laws to support more cooperative and resilient ways of living. In “Community and the Law,” authors share on-the-ground stories and guidance for others hoping to coexist peacefully and productively with the Law.