Each community devises its own process for doing the necessary work on common property. Some expect residents to contribute a certain number of hours per month; others accomplish the work with a voluntary system. Typically, residents match personal skills and passions with projects that need attention.
Most cohousing residents recognize an intrinsic need for indoor and outdoor private space. Neighborhood designs attempt to achieve a balance between personal privacy and community interaction. In addition, the social mores of the group include respect for individual needs for time alone.
Because residents know all their neighbors, cohousing provides an excellent built-in neighborhood watch system. Residents easily notice someone who is not a familiar face in the neighborhood. Even in urban areas, many cohousers are comfortable leaving their front doors unlocked when they go to the common house to pick up laundry or mail. Cohousing parents report that their communities feel extremely safe for raising children. If a child falls off a swing when he or she is out of his or her parent’s immediate sight, for example, another adult surely will assist the child. Additionally, everyone helps protect and maintain the property for a resident traveling out of town.
It isn’t essential for everyone in a cohousing community to like every neighbor. In fact, a variety of personalities will add interest to neighborhood life. Cohousing residents need only share the goal of making their lives more enjoyable by cooperating with their neighbors.
One of cohousing’s great strengths is the assumption that members can work out their conflicts. Most cohousing communities use consensus decision-making, which tends to satisfy most residents and give them a sense of participation on challenging issues. Some communities convene a conflict-resolution team when a particularly hot issue arises. Also, through this website and the Cohousing listserve, communities share information about proven techniques for resolving conflict. Finally, if the situation warrants it, a community may call in an outside professional to facilitate the process.