Call-In #1: Economic Crisis and Cohousing (Oct. 25, 2008)

Call-In #1 was a great success - feedback we received was gratifying and we used it to improve Call-In #2: Current Economy and Forming Groups.

The 1-hour 22-minute Call-In was recorded and is available to hear now:

About the Conversation

In the call, some prominent cohousing authorities held an interesting conversation about the current economic climate and how it impacts cohousing - for people living in cohousing today, people involved in communities under construction and for early-stage forming groups. This broad-ranging conversation featured:

Dr. Lisa Poley, Coho/US board member, moderated the discussion. Joining her were:

• Architect Charles Durrett who, with his wife Kathryn McCamant, introduced the concept of cohousing to the United States 20 years ago. They live in Nevada City Cohousing (CA).
• Developer Jim Leach, president of Wonderland Hill Development Company, the leading cohousing developer in the United States. Jim lives with his wife at Silver Sage Cohousing (CO), one of the few built senior cohousing communities in the U.S.
• Coho/US's President Rick Mockler who is vice president with CoHousing Partners and lives with his family at Muir Commons (CA).
• Bob Bruegel is the President of Support Financial, Inc. which has provided early stage bridge financing to cohousing projects for the past decade. Bob is a founding resident of the Nyland Cohousing (CO).

Coho/US Executive Director Craig Ragland was on the call to share suggested questions and topics from our many listeners. During the call, he shared the questions submitted during the call. Craig has lived at Songaia Cohousing (WA) since 1992 and is project manager for New Earth Song Cohousing (WA), a forming group developing new community housing next door to Songaia.

This call was free to participants, although the phone number wasn't toll-free. We also welcomed the questions our listeners wanted the panelists to address. These Listener Questions were submitted before and during the call.