We are a community of about 30 people (both students and workers) and five cats (neither students nor workers) who share a large yellow castle on the shore of Lake Mendota. Since our founding in 1973, Lothlorien Co-op has striven to provide a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for people of all ages, sexes, races, and sexual orientations. Many of our housemembers are politically active in queer rights, labor rights, and environmental and feminist movements, and our home is an open resource to activist groups like Food Not Bombs, Stop the War, Radical Cheerleaders, and the Madison Art Collective. We often host benefit concerts, fiestas, coffeehouses, and other events providing the city of Madison with good times. Based in egalitarian ideals, house decisions are made through modified consensus at weekly house meetings.
The house features a huge living room and library with hardwood floors, four fireplaces distributed throughout the house, multiple decks, and one grand and one upright piano. Our backyard has terraced gardens, a lakeshore fire pit, a dock, and two canoes. All but one of our 31 bedrooms are singles. We have a great location within walking distance of the Capitol, UW-Madison and MATC campuses, and bus lines. Additional fun fact: Loth has one of the largest solar hot water systems in Madison.
We cook vegetarian meals with a vegan option nightly. Nearly all food at Loth is organic and most produce is also locally grown.
Vegie, Enviro, LGBT-friendly
Dinners:
All are welcome to join us for dinner Sunday through Friday at 6:00 p.m. or brunch Sunday at noon.
How to apply for membership:
Attend a minimum of three dinners, then give 48 hours notice before a membership meeting with current house members. Membership meetings consist of going over house policies and a Q & A session. Call the house phone and ask about our process for applying to become a member if you cannot attend dinners. Also feel free to email any questions to Eli (one of our membership coordinators) at el*@********gg.org.
Crashing:
We accept short-term crashers pending a meeting with members of the house. Crashing fees are $7 per night, including all-you-can-eat food; there is a possibility for partial work-job payment as well.
The whole membership decides collectively.
Generally seek agreement, but have backup methods when consensus isn’t reached.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
Modified Consensus
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Join fee: $200
Labor: Yes
6 hours workjob/week–ie: cooking, composting, dishes, recycling, etc; 1.5 hrs Maintanence/mo
One-time small due to: Madison Community Co-op (MCC)
Common House, Garden(s), Library, Hot tub or hot springs, Large Scale Kitchen, Fire pit, Waterfront access, Internet
Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.
Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
interaction while maintaining independence.
Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
kitchens, dining, and social areas.
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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