What is Cohousing?

WHAT IS COHOUSING?

Cohousing is a type of collaborative housing in which residents actively participate in the design and operation of their own community.

Cohousing residents are consciously committed to living as a community. The physical design encourages both social contact and individual space. Private homes contain all the features of conventional homes, but residents also have access to common facilities such as open space, courtyards, a playground and a common house.

WHAT MAKES COHOUSING COMMUNITIES UNIQUE

The cohousing idea originated in Denmark, and was promoted in the U.S. by architects Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett in the early 1980s. The Danish concept of "living community" has spread quickly. There are now hundreds of cohousing communities, from Denmark into the U.S, Canada, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria and elsewhere around the world.

In a cohousing community, you know who lives six houses down because you eat common meals with them and gratefully accept a ride from them when your car is in the shop. You begin to trust them enough to leave your 4-year-old with them. You listen to what they have to say, even if you don't agree with them at first, and you sense that you, too, are being heard.

Cohousing residents generally aspire to "improve the world, one neighborhood at a time. “ This desire to make a difference helps create a place where lives are simplified, the earth is respected, diversity is welcomed, and children play together in safety.

ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY

Cohousing communities vary in their number of residences. Ours here at Wasatch Commons is made up of 26 households in homes of various sizes and configurations.

Our Common House is the social center of the community. It contains a large dining room, kitchen, sitting room, children’s room, guest rooms, a craft area and a laundry room. In the east parking lot, we also have a garage, workshop and workout rooms. Our community serves optional potluck meals in the Common House twice a week.

Each resident of Wasatch Commons owns 1/26th of the four-plus acres here. The need for community members to take care of our common property builds a sense of working together, trust and support. Each resident works on a committee that interests them as well as being on a twice-yearly work team and attending quarterly work parties. Because neighbors strive to respect their relationships with one another, we, like most cohousing communities, use consensus as the basis for group decision-making.'

Attached: 0WhatIsCohousing.pdf