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Registration is Open!

Submitted by catya on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 10:53
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Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods; Learning from the Cohousing Experience

Registration is now available for the 2012 National Cohousing Conference
Marriott Oakland CA City Center: Wednesday June 13 - Sunday June 17

Register now to get the early bird discount.

For more information visit the conference website:  http://conference.cohousing.org/

California recognizes Cohousing as a more Sustainable Living Environment

Submitted by Bob Miller on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 14:27
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By Bob Miller

The theme of the 2012 National Conference is “Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods; Learning from the Cohousing Experience.” Governor Jerry Brown of California recently endorsed the concept of cohousing as a more sustainable living environment.

The Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards are made each year by the Governor of California. This year Jerry Brown was at the awards ceremony to recognize McCamant and Durrett Architects of Wolf Creek Lodge as one of the recipients for 2011. The awards are “given only to individuals, organizations, and businesses who exemplify exceptional leadership for protecting and enhancing the environment while at the same time promoting economic growth”.

Want the truth? Ask a child.

Submitted by catya on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 09:37
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By Sandy Thomson

Lately I have been thinking about what CoHousing is like from a child's perspective. And as Oliver Wendell Homes said, "Pretty much all the honest truth-telling there is in the world is done by children." For them it must be heaven. No meetings, no money worries, conflicts come and go at the drop of a hat. So I asked some of the kids in our neighborhood what they like and don't like about living in CoHousing. What was the most telling, was that many of them couldn't come up with anything they didn't like!

Here are some of the answers I got:

What do you like best about CoHousing?

"I can ride my bike all over the place."
"Being able to walk to your friend's house."
"Playing with my friends."
"There are a lot of things, there is a lot of room that we can run and play out of the cluster"

2012 Cohousing Conference: Call for Proposals

Submitted by catya on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 10:16
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From: Eris Weaver

Has your community found a great solution to a common cohousing challenge? Do you have expertise in a particular area of cohousing development or community living? Is there a burning question or issue that you'd like to discuss in a forum with other cohousers? Submit your idea to the 2012 National Cohousing Conference program committee!

The 2012 National Cohousing Conference will be held June 13-17th in Oakland, CA. The theme is: Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods: learning from the cohousing experience. We'll be giving a little extra attention to the social and economic aspects of the sustai! nability triad. Attendees will include cohousing residents, members of fledglingcommunities, professionals, and folks completely new to the idea. Presentations, workshops, and roundtable discussions will range in length from one hour to two days.

Some areas we are particularly seeking submittals and suggestions:

Occupying Our Neighborhoods

Submitted by catya on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 13:48
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By Rebecca Lane

In the past few months, I have been visiting Cohousing communities in Boulder, the East Bay, Portland and the Puget Sound region. Though our neighborhoods have lower than average foreclosure rates, and homes tend to hold their value in a declining market, cohousing communities still feel the impacts of a struggling economy and country.

Announcing the Cohousing Research Network

Submitted by catya on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 13:08
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By Richart Keller

Researchers and writers gathered at the cohousing conference in June 2011 to form the Cohousing Researchers Network (CRN). Its purpose is to increase and improve knowledge about cohousing.

WHAT COHOUSING COMMUNITIES CAN DO FOR THE CRN

1. When researchers and writers request tours or interviews, direct them to CRN
(Diane Margolis: Diane [at] margolis [dot] com)

WHAT THE CRN CAN DO FOR COHOUSING COMMUNITIES

1. Currently some cohousing communities are overwhelmed by the number of student and professional researchers and writers who ask for tours and interviews and response to surveys. CRN can act as a clearing house reducing the number of requests any community receives while facilitating the work of researchers and writers.

2. Currently cohousers need to explain cohousing to potential buyers, neighbors, and local bankers and officials. Such explanations will become less necessary as CRN expands knowledge about cohousing.

WHAT CRN CAN DO FOR RESEARCHERS AND WRITERS

Who are cohousers, anyway?

Submitted by catya on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 08:10
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By Rebecca Lane

Do your friends and family ask you this question? I get it all the time. Who are these (fill in the blank) progressive, risk-taker, entrepreneurial, edgy, idealistic, wild bunch of people, anyway??

To begin answering this question, the Board of Coho/US completed a survey of 80 cohousing communities and their residents. Here is some of what was found:

  • Community life & personal benefits:
    • Having everyday connections and committed, neighborly relationships are really important.
    • Easy socializing, and especially shared meals and other activities are basic to overall good cohousing communities.
    • There is a direct correlation between common meals and work sharing and foreclosure rates! Greater participation in both happened in communities with fewer foreclosures.
  • Family life:
    • Multi-generational communities helped provide child-friendly places that parents really appreciate.

Report on Survey of Cohousing Communities 2011

Submitted by catya on Wed, 09/21/2011 - 13:37
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By Diane Margolis and David Entin

In 2010, the Board of the Cohousing Association of the United States began a three-phase research project in order to better serve its existing constituency, assist those wishing to form new communities, and promote the value of cohousing. This report describes the first phase, an extensive survey to gain more information about existing cohousing communities, and a second phase of three open-ended questions.

Report on Survey of Cohousing Communities 2011

Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods; Learning from the Cohousing Experience

Submitted by catya on Tue, 08/16/2011 - 06:45
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By Rebecca Lane

Sustainability… this slippery, compelling, full-of-promise word is applied to so many things. The theme of the 2012 National Conference is Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods; Learning from the Cohousing Experience. To be held in the San Francisco bay area, this gathering will be in the back yards of some of the most diverse and urban Cohousing communities in the country – Swan’s Market, a dense and multicultural urban cohousing community ( http://www.swansway.com ); and Temescal Creek, a retrofit neighborhood, both in Oakland. (http://www.cohousing.org/cm/article/temescal )

Photos from the 2011 Conference & Tours

Submitted by catya on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 08:50
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by Jim Mendell, Common Ground Center

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