Cohabitation Policy: Living with Other Multiverse Members
The Bottom Line Up Front
Visiting people is fine. Living together is complicated and risky.
If you choose to live with another Multiverse member, understand:
- Your relationship is with that person, not The Multiverse School
- We are not responsible for what happens when you cohabitate
- Staff/teachers/admins/mentors CANNOT live with students/mentees
Why This Is a Policy
Living Together Gets Messy
Common issues that arise:
- Rent disputes
- Cleanliness conflicts
- Boundaries violated
- One person feels exploited
- Power dynamics become toxic
- Romantic entanglements gone wrong
- Someone gets kicked out with nowhere to go
When this happens:
- It’s between you and your housemate
- The Multiverse School cannot mediate or resolve it
- We will not take sides
- We will not remove someone from the school because your living situation fell apart
You take that risk when you choose to live together.
Absolute Prohibitions
Staff/Teachers/Admins/Formal Mentors Cannot Live with Students/Mentees
Who this applies to:
- Anyone who teaches a class at Multiverse
- Anyone in an admin role
- Anyone who is paid by The Multiverse School
- Anyone perceived as staff
- Anyone in a formal mentorship relationship
Why this is banned:
- The power imbalance makes it inappropriate
- It creates conflicts of interest
- It never goes well
- It’s weird and ends up being hard for everyone
Consequences of violation:
- Staff member will be removed from their position
- Mentorship relationship will be terminated
- Both parties may be removed from the school if the situation is egregious
No exceptions. Ever.
General Community Members Living Together
You Can, But…
The Multiverse School’s position:
- We don’t prohibit community members from living together
- We also don’t endorse or facilitate it
- We are not responsible for what happens
Before you live with a Multiverse member, ask yourself:
- Do we have a written agreement about:
- Rent and utilities (who pays what, when)?
- How long the arrangement lasts?
- What happens if one person wants to leave?
- Cleanliness and shared space expectations?
- Boundaries (guests, noise, personal space)?
- What happens if this goes badly?
- Do I have a backup plan for housing?
- Can I afford to move out suddenly if needed?
- Will this destroy our relationship?
- Can I handle conflict with this person?
- Have we successfully resolved disagreements before?
- Do I trust them to be reasonable if issues arise?
- Am I prepared to set boundaries and enforce them?
If your answer to any of these is uncertain, reconsider.
Common Scenarios & What Happens
Scenario 1: “My Housemate Isn’t Paying Rent”
What you can do:
- Talk to them directly
- Create a written payment agreement going forward
- Ask them to leave (if you’re on the lease)
- Take legal action if necessary
What The Multiverse School will do:
- Nothing. This is between you and your housemate.
What The Multiverse School will NOT do:
- Remove them from the school because they owe you money
- Force them to pay you
- Mediate your rent dispute
- Take sides
Scenario 2: “We Dated and Broke Up, Now Living Together Is Awful”
What you can do:
- One person moves out
- Create boundaries about shared space until someone can leave
- Find subletter or new housing
What The Multiverse School will do:
- Nothing. Your romantic relationship is separate from the school.
What The Multiverse School will NOT do:
- Remove your ex from the school
- Force one of you to move
- Mediate your breakup
- Create separate class sections so you don’t see each other
Scenario 3: “My Housemate Is Creating an Unsafe Environment”
If “unsafe” means:
- Violent behavior, threats, abuse: Call police, seek domestic violence resources, get out
- Code of Conduct violations in shared space: You can report the Code of Conduct violation separately, but the housing dispute isn’t our issue
- Just an asshole/messy/difficult: You need to set boundaries or move out
What The Multiverse School will do:
- Address Code of Conduct violations if reported and verified (separate from housing)
- Provide crisis resources if you’re in danger
What The Multiverse School will NOT do:
- Force them to move out of a place they’re legally residing
- Solve your personal conflict
- Remove them from school because you’re unhappy with living arrangements
Scenario 4: “A Teacher/Staff Member is Living with a Student”
What you should do:
- Report this to Liz immediately
What The Multiverse School will do:
- Investigate
- Remove the staff member from their position
- Potentially remove both parties depending on circumstances
This is the ONE housing situation we will act on, because it violates our policy.
When Cohabitation Becomes a School Issue
We WILL Get Involved If:
- Staff is living with students (policy violation)
- Code of Conduct is violated (separate from housing dispute)
- Harassment, hate speech, violence, etc.
- Evaluated same as any other Code of Conduct violation
- Criminal activity involving Multiverse members
- We may need to cooperate with authorities
- May result in removal for safety
We WILL NOT Get Involved In:
- Rent/money disputes between housemates
- Breakups or romantic drama
- Personality conflicts in shared housing
- Cleanliness disagreements
- Guest policy conflicts
- Noise complaints
- General roommate incompatibility
These are between you and your housemate. Handle them like adults.
Visiting vs. Living Together
Visiting Is Fine
Visiting includes:
- Staying for a few days or a week
- Short-term hosting while traveling
- Temporary arrangement with clear end date
No policy issues with visiting.
When Does It Become “Living Together”?
Living together means:
- Staying for more than 2-3 weeks consecutively
- Receiving mail at the address
- Paying rent/contributing to household expenses
- No clear departure date
- Sharing responsibilities (groceries, chores, etc.)
Once it becomes living together, this policy applies.
Best Practices If You Do Live Together
1. Put It in Writing
Create a written agreement that includes:
- Rent/utilities split and payment dates
- Length of arrangement (“Month to month” or “Until [date]”)
- Notice period if someone wants to leave (30 days, etc.)
- Household responsibilities
- Guest policies
- What happens if conflict arises
Even a simple email exchange counts.
Template:
“To confirm our housing arrangement:
- You’re staying at [address] from [start date] to [end date/month-to-month]
- Rent is $[amount], due on [day of month]
- Utilities split [50/50, included in rent, etc.]
- Either of us can end this arrangement with 30 days notice
- If disputes arise, we’ll [handle it ourselves/use mediation/etc.]
Sound good?”
2. Maintain Other Relationships
Don’t make your housemate your ONLY social connection.
- Keep friendships outside the household
- Attend Multiverse events separately (sometimes)
- Have your own life beyond shared space
Why: If the living situation goes bad, you need other support.
3. Address Issues Early
Don’t let resentment build.
- Speak up when boundaries are crossed
- Address money issues immediately
- Talk about cleanliness/chores before it’s explosive
Waiting makes it worse.
4. Have an Exit Plan
Before moving in, know:
- Where you’d go if this doesn’t work out
- How much money you need to move (deposit, first month, moving costs)
- Whether you can afford to leave
Don’t move in with someone if leaving would be impossible.
Power Dynamics & Vulnerable People
Extra Caution Needed When:
One person has significantly more power/resources:
- One person owns the property; the other doesn’t
- One person makes significantly more money
- One person is housing insecure with no other options
- One person is dependent (disabled, unemployed, isolated)
Why this is risky:
- The person with less power may feel they can’t leave
- The person with more power may exploit the imbalance
- “Gifts” of housing can become tools of control
If this describes your situation:
- Extra important to have written agreements
- Extra important to have an exit plan
- Extra important to maintain outside support network
Special Note: Staff Must Not Create Housing Dependency
Staff/teachers should NEVER:
- Offer housing to students in crisis
- Move in with students even temporarily
- Use housing as leverage
Why:
- Power imbalance makes it inappropriate
- Creates obligation and dependency
- Opens staff to accusations or exploitation claims
If a student needs housing help:
- Refer to shelters, transitional housing, social services
- Point to community mutual aid (not yourself personally)
- Maintain professional boundaries
Romantic Relationships & Housing
Extra Layer of Complexity
If you’re dating/considering dating someone, DO NOT:
- Move in immediately
- Move in without exit plan
- Assume love will solve logistical issues
If you live together and then start dating:
- Recognize the risks
- Keep finances separate if possible
- Know what you’d do if you break up
If you live together and break up:
- One person needs to move out (usually)
- Have plan for who stays, who goes
- Honor any written agreements you made
The Multiverse School’s position on romantic cohabitation:
- We don’t prohibit it
- We think it’s usually a bad idea for new relationships
- We definitely won’t mediate your breakup drama
Key Principles
- Your relationship is with your housemate, not the school — We’re not responsible for housing arrangements
- Staff CANNOT live with students — Absolute prohibition, no exceptions
- Put it in writing — Agreements prevent disputes
- Have an exit plan — Know how you’d leave if needed
- Address issues early — Don’t let resentment build
- Maintain boundaries — Even with housemates
- The school will not mediate — Handle disputes like adults
Remember
Living with people is one of the hardest relationships to navigate. Add in power dynamics, financial stress, neurodivergence, mental health challenges, and romantic entanglements, and it gets exponentially messier.
We’re not saying you can’t do it. We’re saying:
- Be smart about it
- Protect yourself
- Know the risks
- Don’t expect the school to rescue you when it goes wrong
Guiding principle: Visiting builds connection. Living together builds resentment—unless you have crystal-clear boundaries, written agreements, and exit plans. The Multiverse School is a learning community, not a housing mediator. Choose your housemates wisely, because we won’t save you from bad choices.