Harbor Commons Interview Guide

Suggested Interview Questions:

• Introductions (Names, Pronouns, Something you like about New York?)

• For the Interviewers: How long have you been at the Commons? What's one role you play here?

• How did you hear about this community?

• What interests you about living at the Commons?

• What experience have you had in the past living together with others?

• When living together with others conflict is inevitable! Please tell us an anecdote about some time you had an interpersonal conflict and how you resolved it.

• Working together to keep this community going takes time and effort. Members are expected to attend our monthly meetings when possible and participate in chores and community upkeep -- we estimate that adult member of the Commons give anywhere from 10-20 hours a month to working on various community projects. (On the flip side: Delicious meals together! Lots of fun together!) Is that a commitment you're willing to make?

• We make decisions here using a consensus process that aims to make sure all perspectives are considered and given equal weight. We recognize this process takes patience and flexibility. [Any past experience with consensus decision making/is that a process that works for you?]

• As a community, we have a strong commitment to keeping the Commons a welcoming space to all its residents. Given the often hostile climate of the world today, this means having a strong commitment to keeping each other accountable when it comes to various forms of bigotry that might come up (be it racism, sexism, transphobia, anti-mutant prejudice, ablism, etc.); we recognize that we'll all fuck up sometimes but want to do our best to keep hostility & prejudice out of this space. That means being willing to meet correction (of oppressive behaviors) with humility rather than defensiveness. Does that sound like an environment you're comfortable with? [Do you have experience with having mistakes pointed out to you?]

• Practical things
  • Rental rates:
    • Studio: $1.3k/month
    • 1 Bedroom: $1.8k/month
    • 2 Bedroom: $2.3k/month
    • 3 Bedroom: $2.8k/month
    • 4 Bedroom: $3.3k/month
  • General privacy/security protocols
  • Zombie defenses! Yay!
  • Chores
  • Monthly meetings
  • Fun things like dinners and parties etc.
  • Shit people might like to know like neighborhood amenities and the risk of being confronted by intermittent paparazzi or stalkers or haters when they leave