Frequently Asked Questions

If I desire to become a member, do I have to give up all my possessions to East Wind?

No! East Winders have their own personal possessions as well as their own personal spaces and these boundaries are respected. If you buy something and put your name on it and leave it in a common space (such as a refrigerator) it is yours. Visitors and provisional members are free to keep their own vehicles and park them on our land.  Full members cannot own personal vehicles and are free to use community vehicles once on the community insurance. Before full membership you may deal with your vehicle however you like (giving it to a family member or selling it to East Wind, for example).

There is legislation regarding what is to be done with assets acquired before becoming a full member at East Wind. Anyone desiring membership will have these rules explained in full (feel free to email us with any questions you may have). The basic rule is that whatever you come in with upon becoming a member you may take with you upon dropping membership.

It says in your bylaws that children are to be communally raised, what does this mean?

Children at East Wind are the responsibility first and foremost of their biological parents or legal guardians. All members of East Wind are not responsible for raising children. Because we have a number of parents living here it is not uncommon for one parent to babysit a number of children at one time. Non-parent members who are willing to babysit also care for children, with parental consent. Childcare is labor creditable towards each week’s quota.

Does East Wind pay into Social Security?

No, but we have a retirement system for our elderly members involving drastically reduced quota.