Brown Association for Cooperative Housing
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The Brown Association for Cooperative Housing (BACH) is a 501(c)3 non-profit student housing cooperative located in Providence, Rhode Island. BACH was the first non-profit in the country given non-profit status on the basis of fighting gentrification[citation needed].
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[edit] History
BACH's founding resulted directly from a Group Independent Study Project (GISP) organized by Brown University students in 1970.
BACH was the first organization in the United States to receive non-profit status for fighting gentrification. It does this by providing an affordable housing alternative for Brown students. Ideally, the provision of low cost student housing decreases the burden on the Providence housing market, and may help prevent student renters from driving up the rent for the limited housing stock available in the College Hill area of Providence.
[edit] General Information
BACH is currently made up of two houses, which house nearly 30 members. Both houses offer low-cost vegetarian and vegan dining alternatives to residents and other students and non-students.
Though BACH was founded by Brown University students, it is an incorporated entity independent of Brown University, and has an open membership. Recent members have included students from RISD, University of Rhode Island, and Johnson & Wales University, non-students, travelers, locals, and all sorts of other types.
BACH is fairly unique among student cooperatives. There are no paid staff of any kind. Members are therefore obligated to perform all tasks relating both to the upkeep of two houses, and the running of a non-profit corporation. Towards these ends, all BACH members commit five hours a week on average.
The current BACH houses are:
- Finlandia co-op
- Watermyn Co-op, purchased in 1970, was BACH's first self-owned house.
And past housees have been:
- Milhaus Co-op
- Carberry Co-op
Milhaus and Carberry were the original BACH houses, in buildings leased from Brown. They closed as co-op houses when Brown terminated the leases in the 1990s.
[edit] Traditions
BACH has many traditions. For instance, every year Watermyn Coop is host to the world-famous invitation-only Naked Party. Also, every fall, Finlandia hosts its famous Halloween party. And once a year the two houses collaboratively host a blind-date prom.
[edit] External links
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