Re: optimum size for a community
From: Chris ScottHanson (chriscohousingresources.com)
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 09:02:01 -0700 (MST)
on 3/25/02 7:56 AM, eugeniep [at] umich.edu at eugeniep [at] umich.edu wrote:

> Greetings.
> Is there any list wisdom that suggests the optimum size of a cohousing
> community? I can think that too few would make for too much work for
> everyone involved, yet too many would lose the ability to make consensual
> group decisions, or even interfere with a town hall type of decision
> process.
> TIA
> Eugenie Potter
> eugeniep [at] umich.edu
> 
Eugenie, and those on the list that might find this topic as interesting as
I do...  I have done nothing but cohousing since 1988.  I read what M&D said
about this topic in their book in 1988, and it made sense to me then, and
still does now.  I have lived in 3 different cohousing communities now, and
still completely agree with what they found as a pattern in Denmark, a
pattern that seems to hold here in this country, too.

I tell people that the ideal range for a cohousing community is 18 to 36
dwelling units, and that there are successful communities which are both
larger and smaller.  It seems that the ³ideal² size is best described with a
bell curve, with 24 to 30 units at the very top of the curve, with 18 and 36
units out on the steep shoulders of the curve.  I am sure that others
participating on this list may have other, possibly very different opinions.

>From a development perspective, and my work is in acquiring sites, putting
together the professional team and getting more cohousing built, if you have
a site that works for 42 units it would be best if it could be developed
into two communities.  On the other hand, an 85 unit site could be 3 or 4 or
even 5 communities.  For a 36 unit site which would work well as one
community, I would seriously consider making it two 18 unit communities,
especially in an urban area, and especially if there is any chance that the
group will have a challenge growing the community membership.  If the
membership fills quickly it is always more cost effective to do as much at
once as possible.  More units = more cost effective.

I would postulate that larger communities work better (sociologically) in
more rural settings, and that smaller communities can work better in very
urban settings.  In other words the bell curve shifts up or down based on
the urban or rural character of the site.  I think this has to do with
social and interpersonal connections to the wider community, and what are
sometimes called off-site affiliates, or non-resident associates who
participate in community activities, but not live within the community.

A community that is smaller than about 12 units seems to be challenging for
a couple of reasons, and many residents of communities that are this small
generally report this to be true.  It seems to get too intimate for some
people, and this may mean that you have to like everyone.  Some would say
that it is hard to make the common facilities work economically in such a
small community. 

Larger than about 40 units gets very challenging also, for the opposite
reason.  While you have the economic advantages, and the advantage of not
having to like everyone, it gets hard to know everyone, and to keep track of
their regular visitors and family members.  The pedestrian street seems less
³SAFE² and it starts to feel like you need to lock your front door.

Remember the competing interest in cost effectiveness.  This would have you
build as large a community as possible since larger communities are simply
more affordable to build, if you know what you are doing.

I hope the sociologists figure out how interesting all this is someday.
Small group process, decision making, perceptions of belonging and safety,
satisfaction with staying on site and not leaving to get your needs met,
etc. etc. 

I find these patterns of behavior and the feelings about belonging and
participation to be fascinating, and I think the number of households in a
community is important, or is it the number of adult members?

In community,

Chris ScottHanson

Cohousing Resources, LLC
Ecovillages, Cohousing & Sustainable Communities
Development and Consulting for a Sustainable Future
based on the Natural Power of Community

email:          Chris [at] CohousingResources.com
web site:      http://www.CohousingResources.com

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Bainbridge Island, WA  98110

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 The Cohousing Handbook
BUILDING A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY

©1996 Hartley & Marks Publishers, Vancouver BC
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