This organization left me with some
mixed feelings. On the one hand I met some great housemates and not so great people. On the other hand the abysmal state of some parts of the properties is depressing as is the organization of finances, but living here is bargain with prices as low as 50% of what the regular cost of living in AA is. I strongly advice people to inspect the properties, living experience and culture. It's not for everyone.
The ICC has not returned my shares (deposit) in almost a year. I moved out at the end of April 2017. I am very disappointed in the business/financial practices of the ICC and would not recommend it to students.
I lived in Gregory House in the Fall of 2016.
The ICC attempts to create a community each year, which is ambitious and noble, but lacks strong business practices at its foundation. It failed to return my deposit on time after 10 months and on top of it, levied a fee that was added by them after I signed my contract.
Their legal documents contain weasle-y language and despite their focus on cooperation, my negative interactions with them was almost exclusively driven by their failure to uphold their own contractual promises.
The ICC is the place I'm lucky enough to call home. Truly a wonderful, bright, open community!
Excuse my long rant but this is partially to warn potential members as well as vent about a very negative experience. The ICC has great locations and great amenities and can be an awesome combination of fun, education, and friendships. So don t let a handful of mean house members ruin it for you and choose the house you move into carefully!
I lived in the ICC from Fall 2005 to May 2007 and had a lot of fun. It was a laid-back, fun and accepting environment. Individuality was respected.
However this May 2014 the experience was quite different. It was not laid-back at all! I now see how flawed of an organization the ICC can be when people abuse their power. After only 5-6 weeks in Truth House at 1507 Washtenaw the house decided to have a meeting to kick me out for very distorted definitions of "stalking" and "sexual harassment." Trust me nothing sexually degrading was ever said. And the stalking part clearly makes no sense. Plus I really made an effort to get along with everybody and respect their boundaries and correct any very minor mistakes I was told I was making (basically my main mistake was interacting with said individuals at all to begin with since they only wanted to harass me and guilt trip me for invented problems no matter what I said/did).
It was a very immature and disrespectful environment for me.
They saw somebody with problems and weaknesses, as somebody new in the house without any friendships or alliances - and exploited my vulnerability and used it as an opportunity to bash me, perhaps, to feel superior and validate themselves. It was a classic case of bullying.
As much as it helps me to write down my experiences and to express how unfair it was and how very wronged I felt, I want future ICC members to be careful which house they choose. A liberal non-profit organization like the ICC has members with very strong, admirable values such as veganism and feminism. But in some cases good intentions cross the line into what you might call political correctness. This is where you can get kicked out of the ICC based merely on perceptions, rumors and opinions, or if a group of house members judge you a certain way or decide they dislike you.
If your house decides they dislike you they can kick you out of the entire ICC instead of doing the civil thing of allowing a second chance and having a person find a house that fits their personality type and interests. It s really unfortunate that such a large organization with lots of money and property would mismanage these resources and expel members that have potential to be very excellent members of the ICC, Ann Arbor, and larger academic-activist-philanthropic community. One rogue house should not be allowed to punish one person to such an extreme degree. What special training or life experience would many young college students have in order to judge one person s worthiness and ability to successfully live with hundreds of other people in the ICC s other 15 houses?
What really bothers me is the disregard Truth House had for my past 2 successful years in the ICC when I was younger. With the assumption that with age and life experience a person is wiser and more mature - It s obvious to me I am able to get along with people just as well or better than I was 2006. Beware of illegitimate authority and be sure house members are kind, fair, mature people before moving in.
Members of the ICC deserve respect and people should only be expelled for real, serious problems. That s a part of learning tolerance and diversity. I have a problem with people disrupting my life and housing options, manipulating me, and overall just treating me bad. My life and experiences are not a game to be played and toyed with. I demand respect!
wonderful community, cute houses, food and amenities being included is a life saver!! the best affordable housing in the city
My experience in the ICC had a huge impact my time in college. Compared to the dorms and a vast majority of Ann Arbor housing, the co ops are way more affordable. I quickly became a part of a tight-knit community that worked together to cook, clean, and maintain our house which was infinitely more rewarding than dorm life. I have met a lot of great people and experienced much personal growth in my time in the ICC, and this organization is definitely what I will miss most about Ann Arbor once I leave.
I love the ICC and the community experience in my house. I've been a member of the ICC since 2014 and I've had some of the best experiences in my time at U-M in Owen House. The idea of co-operative group housing is not for everyone. Especially, those who grew up with uncooperative beliefs and values. Of course there were some bad years of mismanagement and poor leadership on an organizational level and a house level. However, we have spent years improving the organization by updating policies, improving house conditions and maintenance through renovations, offering more resources and amenities, and providing more education to our membership on how to run a co-op.
As a non-profit, the ICC has improved immensely throughout the years. We have improved the quality of life and cleanliness of our houses and our maintenance staff has done a fantastic job by helping us pass yearly inspections and respond to urgent maintenance issues within 24-48 hrs.
Unfortunately, we have always had problematic members especially in the past but we have come up with better systems of how to properly handle these issues. Many of the members who wrote poor reviews of the ICC in the past are guilty of violating our policies and they simply don't understand that sometimes they are the problem, not necessarily the organization. The ICC is far from perfect but we have a dedicated staff and team of members who work tirelessly to make the organization better every day and create a positive atmosphere in the houses and the main office.
Co-ops are the best thing that ever happened to me <3 It made me feel like I'm finally a part of a legacy of incorporating work and play into a shared social justice mission
You will meet your bestfriends, you will meet people you can tolerate and you will meet everyone in between. You will learn how to handle certain situations that may be uncomfortable and you will learn a lot about yourself. It may not be the easiest housing situation at times and it may not be for everyone, but if you're debating if you should give a co-op a shot, tour a few and then decide, it might lead you to some of the best people/experiences that you'll have in college.
It was a terrible experience! The co-op houses are very unorganized, and managed by students usually 18-21 years old. Its basically paying to live in a frat house. You also are required to have a roommate (yes, the kind that you literally share your room with) and if you don't get along theres really no changing roommates unless you can on your own find someone to switch with you. Every little issue seems to turn into a long process. Ann Arbor is a college town and I now know you can find better housing options.
I love the ICC for the community I have found, its accessibility, and openness to member involvement. The organization is as good as its members and the opportunities to participate and make an active change in how the ICC is run has truly been an empowering experience. Also, the houses all have such interesting histories and unique architecture. Always something new to find and interesting people to talk to from all walks of life.
The ICC provided some of the best experiences over the time I lived in Nakamura Co-op (2014-2017). It stands ans an organization that seeks to include all individuals and provide a safe space for people to live and grow in a variety of housing settings with small or large houses, apartment style living, a substance free house, a grad student house., and a number of vegetarian and/or pet friendly homes. Strongly recommend the ICC to anyone interested in the cooperative movement, making great friends, finding affordable housing, or looking to move away from dealing with a landlord!
I was a member for years. Absolutely fantastic learning experience!
Living in the ICC was the best decision I made in college. The rent is super affordable for Ann Arbor, and includes food and amenities. Unlike other places I have lived, the maintenance team is quick and responsive and they keep these houses beautiful. Most importantly, the community is unmatched. You live in a house full of some of your closest friends. There is a lot of in house bonding, and lots of social events to meet other people from the ICC. My coop friends are my forever friends. <3 Thank you, ICC!
Go Co-op! Affordable, democratically owned and operated. Great staff!
It s a great organization overall! It has its ups and downs, but so does everywhere you live. It is what you make of it! The organization does what it can with the staff it has. Overall, the purpose of the organization is to provide affordable, community driven housing. If that is what you are interested in, then you will love this place!
Never response and slow working process. Still didnt get my deposit since april 2018
Still ongoing nov.6 2019
Finally got my deposit back on 1/2/2020
Was lucky enough to find the coops after 2 years in the dorms, and as a student this transition was relief in so many ways. The coops only work because members pool financial resources and do 3-4 hours worth of chores per week. Living with a group of 20+ friends is really awesome, and it improves and challenges you right from the start.
I have had the privilege and opportunity of being elected as a maintenance manager, a chore manager, and a house president while living in one of the larger coops and it has been really great. the centralized staff that helps organize the 16 different houses do a lot of really great stuff and are constantly improving communications and operations. There is a centralized maintenance and contracting process as well - this differs fundamentally from a for-profit rental situation and relieves members of maintenance costs (and all sorts of costs) astronomically.
It's so much more than just community and affordable housing, but if it were only just those two things it'd still be 50x better than living alone, paying hundred$ more per month, as well as having to shop for food!
The ICC is a great organization to live in. I've met almost all of my friends in college. The food is amazing and it's a fantastic value for you what you get. Excellect all around I cannot recommend living here enough.
I loved living at Black Elk. There will always be pros and cons to every living situation. Yes, you'll meet tons of new people, eat healthy, share chores, have cheap rent etc. Yes, you'll live will a lot of other people, there is some disorganization, you might not like everybody, etc. My advice: visit/tour each house you're interested in before signing a contract, so you have a clear idea of what a co-operative is/expects and get a feel for the house culture.
I'm pretty surprised at all the bad reviews. The Co-ops at UM are awesome. You just gotta find a house that's a good fit for you
It is true that the ICC has issues with providing adequate customer service and it is frustrating for all of us. It is also true that individual houses are thriving and have a lot of autonomy. Houses are in better condition and with more amenities than similarly priced apartments. Many members choose to stay in ICC coops for years because of the strong communities we create.
I love the ICC! Living in the co-ops was an amazing experience for me and gave me some of the best college friends I could have ever hoped for. Loved the house culture and the autonomy given, the affordability, and that utilities AND food were included. I never went hungry or didnt have the right ingredients. So thankful for stumbling upon this gem in ann arbor as a student coming from lower SES.
icc.coop
