Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Creating community <FWD>

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

DANR asked:

I've thought about the possibilities of a typical co-housing
structure with part of the common house, or a large separate unit,
as residence for a commune. I'd like a continuum of levels of community.
How would you all feel about that? Or, what can constitute a family
unit? My perception is that co-housing is oriented mainly toward
nuclear families and a few singles. Do you have any concerns about
co-housing leading to more intimacy within the community than you
intended?

It is interesting you should ask this now. One of the more interesting 
discussions around our visioning of the design of our second phase of 
our community is creating something like a shared house within the 
community.  The community would own it, and people who lived there 
could be in any number of situations financially.  One model idea from 
another community (100 mile house in B.C.???) is for t the community to 
maintain and support room and board for those who live in "service 
house". Those that live in service house get free room and board in 
exchange for providing service to the community, and also beyond the 
community in doing social work. Service house may also have adjacent 
living spaces off the grid such as yurts and teepees with the shared 
house providing plumbing and eating facilities for the adjacent living 
spaces.  In this way very low income folks could be a part of the 
community, and our kids could see and learn that not everyone needs to 
live in their own house, with each kid having their own custom designed 
bedroom and playspace.

As to the levels of intimacy, I think that in most cohousing 
situations, there are those who make the choice to be closer and those 
who make the choice to maintain a distance.  As long as each can make 
their choice, it seems to me it should work out well.  We hold a close 
intimate gathering once a month called a sharing circle.  Only those 
who want to come do and those of us who have done this are forming 
closer bonds with each other than those who do not attend.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood