Cohousing-L Mailing List: January 2003 Coho/US e-Letter

[Raines Cohen (rc2-coho-L]

Cohousing e-Letter
January 17, 2003 
The Cohousing Association of the United States
http://www.cohousing.org/

Welcome to the latest issue of the Coho/US e-newsletter on cohousing 
news, developments and trends.

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C O H O / U S   U P D A T E

* "Getting Started - The Nuts & Bolts of Creating a Cohousing Community" 
is the title of the next workshop sponsored by Coho/US. This educational 
offering in San Diego, Calif., is set for Friday and Saturday, January 
30-31. The workshop will be led by two cohousing pioneers ? Zev Paiss and 
Neshama Abraham of Nomad Cohousing in Boulder, CO. Only a few spaces 
remain for this workshop, and while the early-bird deadline has passed, 
readers of this e-Letter can receive the reduced rate of $100 if you 
register before Sunday at midnight. The price includes a slide 
show/discussion Friday evening, a daylong workshop with lunch on Saturday 
and a comprehensive workbook on how to get started. More information: 
303-413-8066 or
http://www.cohousing.org/news/seminars.html

* Building the Cohousing movement in the U.S. is the focus for Coho/US in 
2004. We're already off to a good start in planning tours (including new 
tours in Massachusetts and elsewhere), sponsoring workshops and 
redesigning our communication program to reach as many people as we can. 
Our mostly volunteer network has been remarkably successful with limited 
resources, but our modest budget only goes so far. Put in perspective, 
the average local developer spends more money marketing a single tract of 
suburban homes than our Association spends promoting cohousing across the 
entire U.S. We thank the many donors who gave at year's end ­ and if you 
aren't one of them, there's still time to make a New Year's resolution to 
support Coho/US. Go to our website today and make a tax-deductible 
contribution today. More information:
https://secure2.anu.net/cohousing/join/join.html

* Cohousing magazine will debut online in the next two weeks with a full 
plate of feature articles and the latest news.  Leading off the features 
will be a "day-in-the-life" story about a group of children who helped an 
injured cohouser.  In another report, a cohousing expert offers sage 
advice on how communities can adopt effective pet policies. The issue 
also contains useful ideas on marketing, building and living in 
cohousing. If you got this e-Letter directly from us, you'll 
automatically receive Cohousing magazine elecronically; if your copy was 
forwarded, you need to subscribe via our website (use the "request info" 
form). More information:
http://www.cohousing.org/

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C O M M U N I T I E S

* Cohousing lost a dear friend New Years Day with the death of Evelyn F. 
Schwaber, 86, of Santa Rosa, Calif. Evelyn was a veteran peace and civil 
rights activist who was instrumental in helping to build Southside Park 
Cohousing in the early 1990s. She is remembered by her daughter as "a 
quirky, feisty, strong, courageous, funny, in-your-face woman" who 
believed strife and hostility could be eased if people would just listen 
to one another. A memorial service was scheduled for Jan. 16 in the 
common house of Southside Park Cohousing, Sacramento, CA. Go to article: 
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/obituaries/story/8062573p-8995332c.html

* A business and environmental coalition in Washington, D.C., has 
recognized Eastern Village Cohousing in Silver Spring, Md. as an 
excellent example of smart growth. The project, currently under 
construction, involves a rehab of an existing commercial building into an 
attractive housing complex with 60 loft-type units. The Smart Growth 
Alliance cited the project's use of an existing structure and its 
proximity to public transportation and shopping. Eastern Village 
Cohousing is being developed by Eco Housing in Bethesda, Md. This 
recognition can help the developers gain government approval more 
quickly. More information: http://www.easternvillage.org/

* When it rains, it pours: East Bay Cohousing (EBCOHO), after several 
years of transition and hibernation (with the group core kept alive by 
Coho/US board member Raines Cohen), is back and recently active in the 
greater Oakland (CA) area near San Francisco, home to a hotbed of 
cohousing activity. Members of the umbrella regional group, which focuses 
on community-building and cohousing education, are pursuing not one but 
at least TWO exciting potential sites. One, in the Millsmont neighborhood 
of the Oakland hills, would encompass several acres, a rare find in a 
crowded city. Another, just west of the major MacArthur BART transit hub, 
would provide high-density urban living in a mixed-use setting, just a 
short ride from San Francisco. Organizing meetings around both are 
happening in the coming week. More information:
http://www.ebcoho.org/

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C O H O U S I N G   I N   T H E   N E W S

* The Los Angeles Times published a 2,000-word feature story last month 
profiling Tierra Nueva Cohousing in central California. Calling cohousing 
"a 21st century version of a long-ago village," the article chronicled 
the struggles and joys of building and living in cohousing, and advised 
that one key to success is hiring an experienced cohousing developer who 
can help navigate legal, political and financial obstacles. Coho/US board 
member Katie McCamant of The Cohousing Company described cohousing as "an 
extended family without the baggage." Go to article: (registration 
required)
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/013/metro/Household_wastes+.shtml

* A few weeks back the San Francisco Chronicle ran a story highlighting 
the completion of Sonoma County Cohousing in Cotati, where 30 households 
moved in after five years of planning and building. The article said the 
mayor of the city saw the project as "an excellent example of 
high-density housing that nonetheless preserves Cotati's small-town 
quality." The mixed-use project contains some commercial space where some 
residents plan to have offices. More information:
http://www.cotaticohousing.org/

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
C O H O U S I N G   E V E N T S

Jan. 21, Wednesday, 7 PM: "An Introduction to Cohousing" slide show with 
Coho/US board member Kathryn McCamant, Cohousing Company offices, 
Berkeley, CA.
http://www.cohousingco.com/cale.htm

Jan. 30, Friday, 7 PM: "The Advantages of Living in Community" slide and 
video show with Zev and Neshama, San Diego, CA. $5.
http://www.cohousing.org/news/seminars.html

Jan. 31, Sat.: "Creating Cohousing - The Nuts And Bolts of Building A 
Cohousing Community", workshop with Zev and Neshama, San Diego, CA. 
$100-$125. Inexpensive airfares still available.
http://www.cohousing.org/news/seminars.html

Mar. 13, Sat.: Northern California Cohousing [bus] Tour.
http://www.cohousing.org/news/tours.html

Mar. 27, Sat.: Massachusetts Cohousing [bus] Tour.
http://www.cohousing.org/news/tours.html

We want to tell people about your event! Write to us at 
editor [at] cohousing.org.

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* *

Cohousing e-Letter is published by The Cohousing Association of the 
United States for its supporters and others interested in cohousing. This 
issue was edited by Coho/US board member Dennis Jay and publications 
coordinator Evangeline Welch. Please feel free to forward this newsletter 
to others who might be interested. Send comments about this newsletter or 
your cohousing activities to editor [at] cohousing.org. 



Raines Cohen <my initials,2,dash,coho,dash,L at my first name .com>

  Member, Swan's Market Coho [Oakland, CA] <http://www.swansway.com/>
Where my studio loft unit will be available for short-term rental.

  Secretary, Berkeley [CA] Cohousing
Where we took our annual group picture when almost everybody was in town 
for once.

  Supporter, East Bay Cohousing <http://www.ebcoho.org/>
Looking at TWO sites in the Oakland area!

  Boardmember, Coho/US <http://www.cohousing.org/>
Last chance for the "Getting-It-Built" workshop in San Diego Jan 30.

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