| |
Helpful Cohousing Information
The concept of cohousing as we know it was developed in Denmark where, by 1993, more than 140 cohousing communities had been built. There are over 80 cohousing developments already developed or in the final stages of development in the United States today. Many more are being planned.
|
Cohousing communities are hard to categorize. They can be urban, suburban or rural. They can be agriculturally self-sustaining or not. They can have private or common ownership of some or all assets. Demographically, they can be oriented towards singles, young families, older families, empty-nesters or retirees – or a deliberate mix of ages. Multi-cultural communities are common, while others are outwardly less diverse. Some cohousing groups are actively involved in service to the community at large, to those less fortunate, or to the environment, while some are less so.
The cohousing movement is also philosophically diverse, to put it mildly. Cohousing groups can be strongly centered on deeply held (and very different) spiritual, political, ecological and philanthropic principles – or they can simply be dedicated to personal lifestyle preferences. Often, a cohousing community is a unique mixture of both. It’s safe to say that no two projects are alike. What they share is a conviction that building neighborhood and true community, from whatever principles, is a healthy and abiding solution to the culture of loneliness and separation we endure today.
|
Cohousing Resources
There are three very good books on cohousing that we highly recommend. Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves, by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett, is a visual approach to cohousing developments. The Cohousing Handbook by Chris Hanson (of Bainbridge Island, WA) explains the process of building a cohousing development. Sustainable Community: Learning from the Cohousing Model, by Graham Meltzer, explores the link between ‘sustainability’ and ‘community,‘ providing in-depth and insightful information on nurturing both. If you have difficulty obtaining any of these books, contact us, and we will help you find them. There are also many other helpful resources on cohousing, include the following: NEWS & INFORMATION WEB SITES
The Fellowship for Intentional Communities (FIC) web site ( www.ic.org) is perhaps the most comprehensive general resource for eco-villages, cohousing, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives and other related projects. FIC publishes an annual Communities Directory, a quarterly magazine, Communities, as well as an exhaustive online database of cohousing projects. The Cohousing Association of the United States (Coho/US) has an excellent web site ( www.cohousing.org) supporting seekers of cohousing communities, groups in the development stages, completed communities and cohousing professionals. Their magazine, Cohousing (formerly in print, but now online) is a good source of news and helpful information. Regionally, the Northwest Intentional Communities Association (NICA) is designed to connect people interested in intentional communities across the Pacific Northwest. The NICA web site is hosted by the FIC (see above). OTHER COHOUSING PROJECTS
Bartimaeus is similar, in some ways, to other faith-based communities around the country. Here are some interesting examples. This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Temescal Commons Cohousing in Oakland, CA, was one of the first Christian cohousing projects in the nation. Although it is a more urban project, it is similar in many respects to Bartimaeus.
Allelous Cohousing Community in Pasadena, CA, is a residential community for students and staff at Fuller Theological Seminary. Although it is not the same ownership model as Bartimaeus, it follows many of the same guiding principles for cooperative living.
Dorothy Day Cohousing Community in St. Louis, MO, is a community of families and individuals who want to share their lives and resources, in the tradition of the Catholic Worker Movement.
|
|
