cohousing

Cohousing is a form of intentional community designed to combine private homes with shared facilities to support social interaction and mutual aid while preserving independent living. In a cohousing development, each household owns or rents a private dwelling but participates in the planning, governance, and use of a central common house and other shared spaces. The housing is typically arranged in a cluster with nearby common facilities such as a shared kitchen and dining area, laundry, guest rooms, workshops, and gardens.

Key features include resident involvement in design decisions, management, and day-to-day operations, as well as a culture of ongoing interaction. Common meals or shared activities are common but not mandatory, and there is usually no live-in staff or formal hierarchy. Governance is typically collaborative, with decisions made by consensus or sociocratic methods through regular community meetings.

History: The concept emerged in Denmark in the 1960s as a response to aging and housing costs, with the term cohousing popularized in the United States and elsewhere in the 1990s by architects Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett. Early projects in North America include cohousing neighborhoods such as Muir Commons in Davis, California, and EcoVillage at Ithaca in New York.

Scale, economics, and design: Cohousing neighborhoods typically comprise 15 to 40 households, with a separate residents’ association responsible for common property and shared budgets. Residents own their units, and upfront costs cover land, construction, and common facilities; ongoing fees cover maintenance and shared expenses. The model emphasizes sustainable design and resource efficiency through shared infrastructure.

Benefits and challenges: Proponents cite social connection, mutual support, shared resources, and safer neighborhoods. Challenges include the time commitment for participation, coordinating decisions, managing shared finances, and navigating zoning, financing, and differing expectations. Related concepts include intentional communities and ecovillages.