One thing we've discovered is that there are lots of barriers to starting a cooperative, especially for working class people. There is no clearcut process for establishing cooperatives and in fact, Missouri law was hostile towards cooperative up until around 10 years ago.
[WS:] That does not seem to be the case in MD or for that matter in NY. Did you check the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, of which we are a member? http://www.coophousing.org/nahc_board.shtml They might be of some help.
I agree with your view that ignorance is one of the key obstacles. I used to be on the membership committee in our coop that interviews prospective members, and most people simply had no clue what a coop is - they have problems distinguishing it from rental units.
Wojtek