| What
is Cohousing? |
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Cohousing
is a very old, very traditional way of living that, regrettably,
we have almost lost in modern America. But the values of community,
and of knowing your neighbors, are apparent to those who embrace
cohousing - which is just a name for the concept of living in
a close, friendly and sharing neighborhood. (Source:
Liberty Village
cohousing) |
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Cohousing
communities balance the traditional advantages of home ownership
with the benefits of shared common facilities and ongoing connections
with neighbors. (Source: Cohousing
Network) |
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Cohousing
is the name of a type of collaborative housing that attempts
to overcome the alienation of modern subdivisions in which no
one knows their neighbors, and there is no sense of community.(Source:
Cohousing Network) |
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| How
Does it Work? |
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The
typical cohousing community has 20 to 30 single family homes
along a pedestrian street or clustered around a courtyard. |
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Residents
take complete responsibility for designing, organizing, and
managing the community. Although this means putting in some
extra effort for meetings and the occaisional workday, it is
worth the effort. |
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Residents
participate in the planning and design of the development
of the community so that it directly responds to their needs.
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The
physical design encourages a sense of community - facilitating
neighborly interaction - as well as maintaining the option for
privacy. |
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There
are extensive shared facilities - most notably the "Common House"
which is designed for daily use and supplements private living
areas. It contains shared facilities such as a kitchen, media
room, lounges, meeting rooms, kids' play areas, etc. |
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A
central feature of creating community in cohousing is "breaking
bread" together. Generally, dinners cooked by the residents
are available in the common house for those who wish to eat
together. These meals can occur a couple of times a month to
a couple of times a week, depending on the community. |
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Other
Information Sources: Liberty
Village Cohousing |
What
is Cohousing
