Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: fencing for dense urban build

[Bonnie Fergusson (fergyb2]

We are by the way a similar sized (20 units) multigenerational community with 
our homes on the second floor and garage and some Common House facilities as 
well as a small garden on the ground floor.  We are right Downtown just blocks 
from the police station and City Hall.Bonnie FergussonSwans Market 
CohousingOakland, CA
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On Friday, April 3, 2026, 1:34 PM, Bonnie Fergusson <fergyb2 [at] yahoo.com> 
wrote:

    We too live in a densely urban environment and opted for low fencing 
because we didn’t want a gated community.   25 years in the ease with which 
intruders can climb our fence is our biggest security hassle.  As security 
chair l can tell you; you need to consider not only a fence but making sure 
nearby structures including the gate opener do not facilitate climbing the 
fence.  Our gate opening system provides easy steps to climb the fence😡.  We 
have found that stickery plants are helpful but not full proof deterrents.  
Folks just throw their jackets over the stickers and climb anyway. If you have 
a garage, go for an expensive Rytek garage door.  When a would be thief rammed 
his stolen vehicle into ours several times he was unsuccessful in his attempt 
to break in.  But half a block away he was successful with a cheaper garage 
door and stole a car.  Consider bike storage carefully.  Bikes are expensive, 
easy to steal and sell and do not carry the same criminal penalty as cars.  
Police rarely do anything about bike thefts and wherever your bikes are stored 
will be a target for determined thieves. You also need to consider covered 
stairways to the outside.  Ours are constructed so you can go out of the 
community but not get back in through them since miscreants will use them to 
access your community.  And sometimes homeless will chose to sleep there if 
they have access. We have ended up installing anti pry bars on all external 
doors to reduce break ins.  You also need to establish community policies like 
making sure Common House windows are closed and locked at night and letting 
neighbors know (including pictures on emails) whenever you have guests 
visiting.  We approach all unfamiliar faces and enquire sweetly who they are 
visiting.  If they don’t have a good answer we escort them out.  You also need 
to consider how to handle delivery people.  We have them call and can buzz them 
in but whoever buzzes anyone in needs to check that they get to the right door 
and then leave again.See pictures below.Bonnie FergussonSwans Market 
CohousingOakland, CA







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On Friday, April 3, 2026, 8:42 AM, Rebecca Herman via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l 
[at] cohousing.org> wrote:

I am a member of  Cathedral Park Cohousing in Portland, OR.

We are an inclusive, multigenerational, 50/50 market rate/subsidized
community. We are getting closer to starting construction of our
condo/apartment build in North Portland, OR! We will have 23 units spread
over 2 buildings connected by external bridges/stairs and an elevator with
several outdoor landscaped areas on our approximate 1/2 acre near the
downtown St Johns neighborhood. Universal design principals will provide
accessibility to age in place & move about using wheels. We will have some
surface level car parking.

We are currently discussing fencing. While we do not want to live in a
gated community we are concerned about safety & security, especially for
our most vulnerable members.

Would appreciate any observations about safety in similarly designed
cohousing communities that do AND do not have fencing. If you opted for
fencing, thoughts about fence design specifics. Any pictures or links for
visuals would also be appreciated.

And please share our information with anyone looking for cohousing in the
Pacific Northwest!
https://www.cathedralparkcohousing.com/events/

Thank you!
Rebecca
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