Living in the ICC is all about living in community:

• with the people in your house;
• in the community of 19 ICC co-op houses;
• in your neighborhood;
• in Ann Arbor;
• with the University;
• in the local, regional, national and international co-op movements.

The keys to community are communication and caring.

In Your Co-Op Home      

Everyone wants to comfortable in their home.  ICC members come with different personalities, habits, cultures, backgrounds, and ways of communicating and solving problems.  It takes effort to get along with each other, but the effort usually pays off!

Taking pride in your house helps everyone feel good, and saves money on repairs, which keeps charges lower.   Plus, it makes your neighbors happy to have a nice-looking house and yard in their neighborhood.  A little work can make a big difference in community relations.

Treating people with kindness and calmness goes a long way to making people feel comfortable.  If you are careful about not invading people's space, thinking before you speak, and showing some sensitivity to others, you can be a big part of making your house a comfortable home for everyone.

Some ways to create co-op spirit: good food, shared meals, well-done chores, well-attended house meetings, good work holidays, everyone doing their share.

In The ICC

The ICC is 19 houses, almost 600 people.  Our houses have different styles and personalities, but we're all co-opers, sharing work, food, and friendship.  We all  make the ICC community work - staffing the office, sharing the costs of maintenance and training each year's new members and officers in the ways of co-opdom.

Remember - the ICC isn't an "it" - it's us!  ICC members own the organization, elect members to the board, sit on committees, make the rules.  We shape how our ICC runs.  Come to a board or committee meeting, or stop by the office and ask questions.  You might even decide to run for president!

In The Neighborhood

No co-op is an island.  Our neighbors are students, professors, working people, retired people, singles, families, businesses...  They want to be comfortable in their homes and workplaces as much as we want to be comfortable in ours.

What does it take to be a good neighbor?  A nice-looking yard, not too much noise, a well-cared-for house, and people who are friendly and willing to talk, whether it's just saying "hi" or trying to work out a neighborhood problem.

How does being good neighbors help us?  Cooperation is not just about ourselves, it's about everybody!  If we cooperate with our neighbors, they will be there for us when we need them.  If we don't get along, neighborhood problems get harder to solve. 

In The City

A recent study said Ann Arbor is one of the 10 best places in the country to live.  We've got it all - great food, spectacular entertainment, lots of green space, great people. 

The ICC co-ops are an important part of Ann Arbor.  We have provided affordable housing in the campus area for over 70 years.  We maintain 20 beautiful historic buildings (including our office and Education Center) that are part of what makes Ann Arbor special.  We prove, over and over, that students can run a business and make it work for people, not for profit.

There are things we must do to be a positive part of the city.  We must keep our houses, kitchens, fire systems, etc. up to city and state code.  We must follow city rules about clean sidewalks in the winter, and clean yards year around.  We must keep our parties within the bounds set by the city noise ordinance.  And when we get the chance, we can give back to the city by volunteering, as individuals or as an organization, to help those in need in our Ann Arbor community.

With The University

Let's face it - without the U, the ICC wouldn't be here.  Providing housing for students is the ICC's primary purpose.  While the university no longer insists on house mothers or party chaperones, we still have a relationship, and we want it to be a good one!  (By the way, the "U" includes U of M, EMU, WCC, and other local colleges and universities that our members attend, though we have the most contact with the University of Michigan.)

We get many services from the U or M.  We are a student organization, and as such get discounts on purchasing, a seat on MSA student government, the chance to advertise our housing on campus, plus mediation, legal and other services that are available to students. 

In return, we give back to the U. We schedule our housing contracts around the U's schedule, and do our best to meet the needs of students.  We make special efforts to house students who come for summer programs, such as ICPSR.  And we participate in the Off-Campus Housing Advisory Board, which brings together the U, the city, co-ops, landlords and others concerned with life in the campus area.

In The Co-Op Movement - And The World!

No co-op is an island.  Cooperation among cooperatives is one of the principles of co-ops around the world.  We are on a mission - to help more and more people meet their needs for food, clothing, and shelter without helping the rich get richer.  There are 750 million    people in member-owned cooperative businesses around the world.

There are many types of co-ops: housing, food, manufacturing, retail, news-gathering, farm, credit unions, manufacturing, craft, bookstores, preschools, memorial societies...the list is practically endless. 

The campus/group equity co-op sector in the US and Canada is served by NASCO, the North American Students of Cooperation, CCDC, the Campus Co-Op Development Corporation, and NP, NASCO Properties.  ICC is a member of NASCO and CCDC.  We get training, and give money and time to help bring cooperation to more and more people.

Other organizations that serve the co-op movement are the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), and many sector organizations.

You don't have to leave co-ops when you leave the ICC.  Wherever you go, there will be co-ops you can join.  You can be a part of this committed and passionate movement that believes in "business for people, not for profit."  We hope your experience in the ICC will convince you to become a lifelong co-oper!