Finances: Overview
Finances are an important part of making any Start-up Community or Business work. The Financial Model for Habitats for Happiness is designed for success & rewards members who contribute to start-up expenses or ongoing labor.
Basically, there are two distinct areas of Financial endeavor: Start-up expenses and Monthly profit/loss.
Basically, there are two distinct areas of Financial endeavor: Start-up expenses and Monthly profit/loss.
Startup Expenses
Start-up expenses include:
The cash for the Down Payment & startup funds is supplied by a small group of Individuals who then own a percent equity in the land. The value of their percent equity appreciates not only in accordance with normal Real Estate Market fluctuations, but also to the extent that the Mortgage is paid down by the Habitats for Happiness, for truly excellent potential ROIs. Essentially, startup contributions to % equity engage the normal Real Estate Business Model of expecting the purchase to pay for itself.
- Down Payment for land purchase
- Any anticipated start-up costs and slush funds established at start-up.
The cash for the Down Payment & startup funds is supplied by a small group of Individuals who then own a percent equity in the land. The value of their percent equity appreciates not only in accordance with normal Real Estate Market fluctuations, but also to the extent that the Mortgage is paid down by the Habitats for Happiness, for truly excellent potential ROIs. Essentially, startup contributions to % equity engage the normal Real Estate Business Model of expecting the purchase to pay for itself.
Monthly Expenses
Monthly Expenses include the Mortgage (principle and interest), utilities, taxes, insurance, and anything else the community chooses to spend money on each month. Labor required by the community to function (i.e. maintaining the fields, accounting, maintenance, etc) is of course a valid monthly expense.
Monthly Income includes the profits from activities that the community chooses to engage in (not to be confused with Individual income-generating pursuits: Members have the right to earn money in any manner they see fit, and it is their money not the community's).
The Difference between the Monthly Expenses and Monthly Income is the Monthly Profit/Loss and it is divided equally amongst all Members.
If there is Profit, then everyone receives a check at the end of the month (or the community may elect to save/use the profit for other purposes at the group's discretion). If there is a loss, then Members pay Dues equal to their pro-rata share. Note that each individual member's Profits & Dues checks/bills will not always be identical because members who contributed Labor will have it credited to them in their monthly accounting.
Monthly Income includes the profits from activities that the community chooses to engage in (not to be confused with Individual income-generating pursuits: Members have the right to earn money in any manner they see fit, and it is their money not the community's).
The Difference between the Monthly Expenses and Monthly Income is the Monthly Profit/Loss and it is divided equally amongst all Members.
If there is Profit, then everyone receives a check at the end of the month (or the community may elect to save/use the profit for other purposes at the group's discretion). If there is a loss, then Members pay Dues equal to their pro-rata share. Note that each individual member's Profits & Dues checks/bills will not always be identical because members who contributed Labor will have it credited to them in their monthly accounting.
