Help me find co-op housing in Chicago

July 24, 2006 6:17 PM

Looking for co-op housing in Chicago. Does any one have any suggestions? Even better if the co-op is run by graduate students but it is not a necessity.

Searching online hasn't shown too many options, so I was hoping someone here could help me out.

posted by sk381 to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Qumbya co-op has three houses in the Hyde Park neighborhood. There's also a grad-student co-op ([e-mail]) in Hyde park that's mostly University of Chicago grad students, but any full-time grad student can live there.
posted by bonheur at 7:07 PM on July 24, 2006

Response by poster: Yeah, these two were th only ones that showed up in my searches. I can't believe there aren't more such options in Chicago!
posted by sk381 at 7:14 PM on July 24, 2006

There's one in Evanston, but it's mostly irritating rich kids, from what I gather.
posted by rbs at 7:27 PM on July 24, 2006

Best answer: I would advise you towards the Stone Soup Co-Op. They've been around for a while and seem to have their shit together. They have a free dinner there once a week, I'm blanking on the name.

I would advise against anything affiliated with the Acme people. They do not have their shit together and a lt of the residences are stuck in living conditions they aren't pleased with.

Here's some more info.
posted by elr at 7:32 PM on July 24, 2006

Blanking on the date that is.

They used to throw amazing parties/happenings/whatever there, with bluegrass and Environmental Encroachment and puppets and whatnot. I wonder if they still do.
posted by elr at 7:33 PM on July 24, 2006

Chicago CoHousing. I know the Prairie Onion people and they are really nice - email me if you want further contact information for them.
posted by sperare at 7:49 PM on July 24, 2006

I would advise against any dealings with the Qumbya co-ops as well. I lived there under miserable conditions. They were chronically in the red financially, and poorly managed, and by all reports still are. When I left, they owed me a few hundred dollars, which years later I still haven't seen.
posted by Eater at 9:00 PM on July 24, 2006

Response by poster: Eater, thanks for the input. Could you tell me how long ago was this?
posted by sk381 at 9:39 PM on July 24, 2006

For what it's worth, I went to a Stone Soup party a couple months ago and it was fantastic. A great group of people. Good cooks, too. I know someone who lives there and he likes it.
posted by np312 at 9:53 PM on July 24, 2006

I lived there in 1996-98 or so, but just recently my attempts to get a status report via phone and email have indicated that they definitely have not gotten their act together. I know of two other people in the same situation who lived there in 2003-2004 (who are owed more money than I am) who are considering a lawsuit.
posted by Eater at 6:04 AM on July 25, 2006

I work for the Conference Services department here at Loyola University Chicago and we offer a number of summer housing options. We actually have some wonderful apartment style accommodations in our newest downtown residence facility. If anyone is looking for housing, please have them contact me at [e-mail]
posted by mcashman at 4:05 PM on April 24, 2007