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We welcome blog submittals of cohousing stories, reflections, celebrations and issues. Send them to us, or contact us to become a regular blogger here.

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Cohousing Policies

Submitted by KarinCoHoUS on

By Elizabeth Magill, Mosaic Commons in Berlin, MA

What shall we discuss as we are forming our communities? Every forming community (I hope!) asks this question and communities that have already moved in give lots of different answers. Many of those answers are in the form of "I wish we'd resolved this" and "we decided x which was irrelevant and should have decided y which was important." All of those reflections are completely true, of course, but I don't think they get at the purpose for deciding things prior to move-in.

The purpose of discussing policies before move-in is to
resolve as much as you can about your values before getting so many
new members you can never agree on values.

Marketing for Cohousing - no car salesman techniques needed!

Submitted by JennyG on

Shelly Parks, CoVision Consulting

“I don’t want to be a used car salesman.” This is the response I most often hear when I ask forming cohousing groups to describe their feelings around using sales techniques in their membership recruitment.

And I get it. We tend to stereotype sales people as sleazy movie car salesman: they pounce aggressively and they don’t listen. They leave us feeling coerced. We picture the guy to the left.

Why I Contribute to Cohousing.Org Every Year

Submitted by KarinCoHoUS on

By Marty Maskall, Founder, Fair Oaks EcoHousing

I just made my annual contribution of $100 to Cohousing.org. I do this every year because of the many benefits the organization has provided me: support, friendship, resources, and inspiration. Each year I choose ten organizations that are important to my life and my community, and I make a donation. To me, it’s a privilege and an obligation to give back to organizations I support.

Such a High in Boulder Without the Colorado Drugs! (Regional Cohousing Conference, April 2018, Boulder, CO)

Submitted by JennyG on

Annie Lehman of PDX Commons & Coho/US Board Member

I recently returned from the Coho/US Regional Conference in Boulder, CO and I’m still high on the vitality that we shared the entire weekend. Wherever you looked, the almost 200 attendees were talking intently, meeting new people, sharing experiences, hopes, and dreams for the future. Plus it all felt positive, even when we discussed challenges, like managing conflict. What was evident all weekend was the “community” we all strive for - new, old, seeking, building, and living it. There was a fervent sense that this is what is needed right now. It was such a welcome and welcoming feeling.

National Cohousing Open House Day is here

Submitted by Cohousing Coaches on

By Raines Cohen, 2018 National Cohousing Open House Day Coordinator

Curious about cohousing? Want to see what it's really like? Compare communities? Get inspired? Now's your chance.

It's that time again! National Cohousing Open House Day is tomorrow, Sunday, April 29, 2018.

We've got over 60 cohousing neighborhoods across the country participating this year, plus a few on alternate dates this or next week; one community is offering an online virtual tour.

What a Fantastic Conference!

Submitted by KarinCoHoUS on

I don't hardly know where to start! Thank you so much to Silver Sage Village and Wild Sage to hosting our day of intensives which attendees very much enjoyed. We all met new people and reconnected with cohousing friends during the reception. Katie McCamant talked about 'reintegrating community in this fast paced world' in a public presentation. There were sessions for everybody on Saturday and a fun time was had out on the town that night. Oh, and the CO weather cooperated (mostly) with the sun shining for the Community bus tours that went to nine different amazing cohousing communities! More details to be reported in blog posts and upcoming eNews

SO many things to look forward to:
National Open House Day Sunday April 29th, 2018
North East Summit regional conference September 21st-23d, 2018
National Conference Portland, OR May 30th-June 2nd, 2019

Bryan Bowen on This Weekend's Regional Cohousing Conference

Submitted by JennyG on

Jenny, Coho/US Outreach Associate

The Regional Cohousing Conference this weekend in Boulder, CO will bring cohousing professionals, those seeking cohousing and existing communities all together - there to share and gather knowledge to bring back to their established/new/in-process communities.

Hear from Bryan Bowen of Caddis Architects (and resident at Wild Sage Cohousing) on why you should be excited for this weekend!

"The Conference is a great place to share ideas, to learn how to fine tune your community's best practices or even how to start a new community."

Free Presentation: Re-Integrating Community in Our Fast Paced World

Submitted by JennyG on

Jenny, Coho/US Outreach Associate

In less than 1 week, one of our special guests for the Regional Cohousing Conference, Katie McCamant will give a FREE presentation.

Hope you can join us in Boulder on Friday, then stick around for the full Conference Program! See flyer below.

Mainstreaming Cohousing: Re-integrating Community in Our Fast-Paced World
First United Methodist Church
1421 Spruce St, Boulder, CO 80302

Friday, April 20th
7pm-9pm (doors open at 630pm)

Conference Bus Tours: Spend Time In Community!

Submitted by JennyG on

Jenny, Coho/US Outreach Associate

Lyons Valley Village
Hearthstone

While there is an abundance of information on our Coho/US website about the variety of cohousing communities, as well as the option to post inquiries to the Cohousing-L list serve, nothing compares to spending time at a community. Whether you are forming a community and in the process of learning all that you can, or living in an established community and wanting to observe how others do things, this is time well spent.

Cultivating Resilience at the Regional Cohousing Conference

Submitted by JennyG on

Yana (Ma'ikwe) Ludwig

Let's talk resilience! That's what I'll be doing at the Regional Cohousing Conference this year and I hope you all are coming and want to dig in to that concept. What does it mean for our communities to be resilient: economically, ecologically and socially?

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