Blue Columbine Cohousing: Where Connection Meets the Colorado Outdoors
Picture it: a warm summer evening in Wheat Ridge. You’re walking home from a potluck in the common house, where laughter and music spill out into the courtyard. The scent of tomatoes from the community garden mingles with the fresh air. Tomorrow morning, you’ll join neighbors for a bike ride along the Clear Creek Trail—or maybe a quiet cup of coffee by the natural pool. This is the life we’re creating at Blue Columbine Cohousing
Wolf Creek Lodge in Grass Valley, CA, is pleased to announce that they have two one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit currently for sale. Grass Valley lies in the heart of the historic California Gold Country northeast of Sacramento, the state capitol. Wolf Creek’s wooded hillside site in is bordered by free-flowing Wolf Creek, which… Read More
If you want to live in cohousing (senior or intergenerational), is it better to join an existing community or try to develop one from the ground up? While the answer may seem obvious in terms of which is easier, people who are attracted to cohousing “often want to be part of creating the dream,” says… Read More
Heartwood Cohousing: Planting New Roots Alongside Established Trees in Southwest Colorado
Imagine waking to the scent of Ponderosa pines, sunlight filtering through the trees, knowing a day of connection, shared purpose, and natural beauty awaits. This isn’t a distant dream; it’s the unfolding reality at Heartwood Cohousing
Building Smarter for Long Term Gains
Infrastructure, Affordability, and Energy Efficiency in Cohousing Projects By Charles Durrett, Principal Architect, AIA // The Cohousing Company Cohousing has long represented an inspiring model of intentional living—communities built on shared values, mutual support, and thoughtful design. But for many, the dream of living in a well-connected, energy-efficient neighborhood can feel out of reach due… Read More
As we encourage more people to consider living in cohousing, we love to emphasize the benefits. They include supportive neighbors, less space needed due to more sharing, and better ways to get our aging-in-community needs met in senior or intergenerational communities.
However, an oft-heard challenge when spreading the word is that it is “not affordable.” Our movement’s reliance on creating market-rate housing is part of what helps our communities get built and financed. It also provides an easy exit when someone wants or needs to move ⎯ they can sell their home and afford another home of similar size in a given housing market. But that doesn’t help someone who can’t afford to get in the door, and rental options in most U.S. cohousing neighborhoods are limited.
Given the dramatic increases in housing prices across the country (and the growing disparity in incomes), many have come to see cohousing as part of the problem. They see it as linked to a system that creates financial barriers for someone who isn’t already a homeowner or who didn’t luck out with a home purchase long ago.
In developing a cohousing community, how important is it that prospective members have a chance to participate in the design process? In November 2023, Housing LIN in the UK published a blog post by Queena Stone to examine this question. Queena is an Associate AIA (American Institute of Architects) member based in Seattle, WA. She… Read More
From Tots to Teens: Families Thrive at Cohousing ABQ
Like many of us, I cracked in 2020. Trapped home alone with a one- and four-year-old, and all the worries of the world. But this cracking led to a kind of waking up…
Larry Beresford, a member of Phoenix Commons in Oakland CA, recently had an article published on the website Next Avenue*. Called “A Commitment to Aging Well,” the article talks about what this means and how his senior cohousing community has pursued this aim. Larry is a freelance medical journalist and a member of the community’s… Read More
Why Some Americans Are Looking to Greece for Their Next Cohousing Home
As housing costs soar and political uncertainty lingers, more Americans are turning to cohousing abroad, not just for adventure travel, but for the support of community when migrating. For a growing number, Greece is calling. And for some, cohousing may be the key to making a move abroad possible.
Momentum is building at Rooted Northwest!
“Can we build a cohousing neighborhood where people who support local agriculture come together with farmers to create a resilient and caring community life?”
Dave Boehnlein, permaculturist and one of Rooted Northwest’s founders
We believe the answer is Yes!, and we are doing just that in rural Snohomish County an hour north of Seattle.
Oakcreek, a senior cohousing community in Stillwater OK, focuses on healthy aging. To support its members, the community has established several programs and procedures to address needs that can come up for older people. They are described following the background information below. Background Oakcreek Community was started in 2009 by eight households who wanted… Read More