Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Quick Definition of Cohousing

[Diane Simpson (dqs]

I usually say "It's a (wonderful little) housing development specifically
designed to foster social interaction." (The key here is to sound
enthusiastic--use your own adjectives.)
Then, like Sharon, if their eyes haven't glazed over, I continue: "Each
household has their own private home, complete with kitchen, but there's
also a Common House with a kitchen and dining room where the whole group
gets together for dinner two or three nights a week." If I detect a pulse,
I then go on about some of the other types of community rooms and the many
other beneficial aspects of cohousing. If they want to learn more, I whip
out one of my handy-dandy flyers (which I *always* happen to be carrying!)
and hand it to them.

--Diane;.>
(Still wearing my "Ask me about Cohousing" button!)
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Angela Ledgerwood asked:
>When someone asks, "What is cohousing?" is there a
>short (preferably one sentence) answer that could
>almost be memorized as a quick starter for the
>conversation?

>Sharon Villines wrote:
>>> When someone asks, "What is cohousing?" is there a
>>> short (preferably one sentence) answer
>I say,
>"It's a housing complex, houses or condos or a combination, designed
>and  built by the residents to encourage neighborliness."
>If their eyes haven't glazed over I add:
>"It includes a large common house with cooking and dining facilities for
>frequent group meals, lounge, tv room, joint office, workshop, and exercise
>faciities as well as childcare."

       @@                   DQS [at] WORLD.STD.COM                  @@
      @@@@      Diane Simpson  http://world.std.com/~dqs      @@@@
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