Cohousing-L Mailing List: Cohousing definitions continued

[Rob Sandelin (Floriferous]

Whereas cohousing might be a vehicle to accomplish, in Scotts words:
  1. a better environmental model for housing, land and energy use

2. a professed openness to the inclusion of those traditionally 
disenfranchised,
  3. a local and democratic form of governance

I am not sure I agree that the first two in any way define cohousing. 
Cohousing is the same environmental model as any other clustered land use, 
lots of those around that are not cohousing. Check out Civano for instance.  
Again, not sure that openness to disenfranchised is anything defining about 
cohousing either, lots and lots of situations are set up specifically for the 
disenfranchised. They are not cohousing either.

What is Unique about cohousing? What sets it apart from other forms of housing 
and condos?  I see that uniqueness as the combination of five elements: 1. 
it's resident conceived and driven, 2. Its goal is to create a closer 
community of neighbors by design, 3. It has democratic form of governance, 4. 
homes are owned by individuals, 5. it's run and maintained by the residents.