Sand River Cohousing

Description:

Sand River is a 55+ participatory community for active elders, grounded in the principles of conscious aging, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and a connection to Place. We make decisions by modified consensus with supermajority vote.

Our community’s LEED-certified design features energy-efficient homes and common house as well as a permaculture landscape and permeable paths. Our 2400-square-foot solar-powered common house includes a large kitchen, dining-meeting area, sitting-media area with fireplace, library, office, guest room, and laundry. There are three EV-plugin charging stations as well as a community tool shed.

In creating a more ecologically friendly and sustainable lifestyle, we:
• Are smoke-free and fragrance-free.
• Maintain our grounds organically and avoid the use of harmful pesticides.
• Support a sustainable habitat with pollinator-friendly plants and practices.
• Recycle and compost.
• Enjoy living in homes that meet energy-efficient LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria.
• Benefit from the use of solar with roughly 40% of us generating our own electricity.
• Conserve water via permaculture drainage design and rainwater harvesting.

Our northern New Mexico location affords mountain hiking as well as nearby walking–cycling trails, with the Arroyo Chamiso Urban Trail just across the community’s adjoining arroyo. Santa Fe offers an abundance of restaurants, galleries, libraries, grocery stores, medical services, gyms, and low-cost public transportation.

As an elder community, we want to be good neighbors by supporting one another socially and logistically. However, we are not an assisted-living or nursing facility. Each member is responsible for themselves.

We welcome active elders who seek a cooperative life style and are willing share in the work and play called for to be a vibrant, safe, and happy community.

While our homes and the common house are ADA-certified, the gravel road surrounding the common house does not offer easy accessibility for wheel chairs.

SAND RIVER AS A LEED* community benefits from the following sustainable design features: universal design, permeable paths and trails, accessible public transportation, community open space, water-saving features, rainwater harvesting, native plants and trees, passive solar orientation, in-floor radiant heat, healthy indoor air quality, Energy-Star qualified, 30% more energy efficient than non-LEED construction, low-E windows, blown-in cellulose insulation, photovoltaic-ready hookups.

*LEED-certified buildings save money and resources, and have a positive impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy.