Cohousing resident and architect, Michael LaFond, shares his experiences of cohousing in Germany. Different approaches to the same basic concepts of cohousing – self organized, community led, and sustainable, along with shared meals and common facilities.

In this session you will hear from Bryan Bowen. He’s an architect with lots of experience designing cohousing communities around the world. Bryan and his family walk the talk since he lives in Wild Sage cohousing. On top of all that, Bryan is formerly a member of the city of Boulder Planning Board so he has insight about how cohousing communities can best go about navigating through local zoning regulations. He’ll give you a little bit about the many types of intentional communities including cohousing. Bryan will talk about what makes cohousing different than ‘other’ HOA’s. He’ll describe some general characteristics and define some vocabulary specific to cohousing.

Karin will give a presentation about the basics of cohousing, general characteristics, and common vocabulary. Alan will introduce you to the cohousing ‘secret sauce’ which is the main condiment that adds cohesion and vibrancy to your forming and existing communities.

Join cohousing experts and dreamers alike as we explore the building blocks of community. This 2-hour virtual event seeks to educate and empower. Topics include:

The foundational principles of cohousing
Lingo and basics
An opportunity to connect with professionals in the field
The chance to ask your burning questions about collective living

Cohousing Association of the United States presents What is Cohousing? 2021. This session introduces the jargon of the cohousing community for those are new. Speakers Karin Hoskin and Karen Gimnig are the programming staff for CohoUS

Ann Zabaldo described key vocabulary for understanding and discussing cohousing. Interspersed with humor and many examples, this primer on the jargon will get you ready to talk about cohousing.

Helpful links offered in the chat during this presentation:
Book Creating Cohousing
Harmony Village
Eastern Village
Cohousing Glossary
Foundation for Intentional Community

As your forming group searches for land, it’s helpful to know what fits on how many acres, so you know what you’re signing up for. We’ll take a look at several projects at different densities, from rural to urban, and quantify density in hard numbers.

Life is better when you live with neighbors who are intentional about being in relationship with you. Grace Kim will be sharing how intentional relationships make all the difference for cohousing communities.

Joe Cole described the primary reason we all join community to begin with: to be in relationship with each other. What does it mean to be in relationship? How do those relationships make us stronger and help us grow? Why do they matter? What is difficult about them? What about conflict?
Helpful links offered in the chat during this presentation:
Book: Sitting in the Fire
Sociocracy
Consensus
Kolb’s Learning Cycles
Tuckman’s list
Rankism
Joe’s Webchat

This is a first level introduction to consensus, giving participants an idea of what it is like to use it. Martie will walk you through a decision her community made using their Pathway to Consensus, using slides to illustrate. You will get the basics of consensus during the process.

All at different life stages, all from different backgrounds and all in different circumstances … all choosing cohousing. These CVC members will share their stories and why cohousing is for them.

Diana Lind, author of Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing

Cohousing Association of the United States presents What is Cohousing? 2021. This session describes the physical design of cohousing and how it is achieved. Molly Jones is founder of Jones Design Studio, and one of the architects for Heartwood Commons in Tulsa.

Mary Kraus shares her expertise on the physical design of cohousing. While every community is unique and there are many approaches to building the physical space for community, there are a number of patterns common throughout the movement.
Presentation Slides

For groups that want an easier start to a new cohousing community, making use of existing homes may do the trick. Alan guides us through the possibilities in this WebChat

Cohousing Association of the United States presents What is Cohousing? 2021. This session describes how social practices and use of common spaces build community. Beth Welch from Troy Gardens, Karen Ecklund and Anne Karch from Arboretum Cohousing, Chucho Alvarado from Village Cohousing, and Laurie Frank from Linden Cohousing share their learned wisdom.

Wasatch Commons Neighbors Vicky Wason, Linda Reed, and Marina Price share about ways communities organize themselves to engage socially. From common meals to work days, they laid out the ways cohousers intentionally create space for connection.

Alan will present about the cohousing ‘secret sauce’ which is the main ingredient for creating a strong and vibrant community, and particularly during these crazy times of the COVID-19 pandemic and related racial justice issues, cohousing is more important now than ever before. How can cohousers pour the secret sauce over the wider community? He’ll present a case study about the forming Colorado Springs Healthy Co-Living Affordable Housing Community, which is a multi-organizational collaboration.

The Cohousing Association offers many great resources, most of them through their website. Communications Director, Karen Gimnig, describes the resources and gives a tour of the website for easier navigation.