Membership

We have open spaces for membership! Would you like to join us?

Potential members must visit for three weeks before being considered for provisional membership. While this typically happens over a single three-week period, it is possible to break a visit into two or more shorter periods, for those who are unable to take three consecutive weeks off of their job or other life obligations. After the end of the 3 weeks, you must spend a minimum of one month away from Twin Oaks while the community decides whether to accept you. This is to give you time to contemplate your decision to live here, and also to give you time to get your affairs in order and pack. If Twin Oaks decides to accept you, you can move in after that one month away, or you can choose to wait up to 6 months after the end of your visitor period to move in. If you have to wait longer than 6 months before you can move in, you can extend your "window of acceptance" for an additional 3 months (making a total of 9 months) if you visit for 7 consecutive days and work up to the labor quota any time during the second trimester. Once you move in, there is a six-month provisional membership period, which is a time to decide whether you fit Twin Oaks and Twin Oaks fits you. During this time provisional members enjoy most of the rights and responsibilities of full members. (Exceptions to this are that they cannot vote or participate in the vetoing of planner's decisions, and they must incurr the costs of any pre-existing medical conditions.) After new members have been accepted by the community for full membership they are asked to sign an agreement with us. The Membership Agreement covers financial arrangements worked out with the community and the community Bylaws. Each member, in return, is guaranteed an equal share of all the benefits the community can provide.

There is no membership fee--we want to encourage people of diverse economic and racial backgrounds to live here. Resources may be held outside the community but one cannot benefit from their use while a member. Clothing and personal effects remain your own, unless you choose to share them. We ordinarily distinguish personal from shared items by keeping them in our rooms. We do not have private vehicles. For more information about this, see our Property Code.