Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: New Home Developments

[Joani Blank (jeblank]

Not really the right heading but I want to continue the string Jasmine
started about a possible site in the South Bay (SF Bay Area, right?)
Jasmine, you said that this group of houses seemed very cohousinglike
except for the lack of a common house. What characteristics did it have
that caused you to say that about it. Does it have all pedestrian space
between the houses? (assuming they are on two sides of a street or cul de
sac, I guess) Are they clustered at all including at least duplexes or
triplexes? 

I agree that resident involvement is necessary in the site plan, and
certainly the common facilities. And there are characteristics of
individual home design in cohousing that greatly enhance the connectedness
people feel there.  But you can have all the individual customization you
want if you are willing to pay for it!. I'd put more priority on
standardization of individual homes and putting any additional monies that
saves you collectively into the common house.  I know that a common house
is not listed as one of the six criteria bandied about these days (check
the web page if you haven 't read it for a while at the beginning of the
FAQ section). What I personally think important  if you don't a common
house, Is to have a structure for having a minimum of two common meals a
week,  in a place that can regularly accommodate  2/3 of the community
members. Also not having a common laundry used by most or all of the
residents reduces opportunities for making community as does having mail
delivered to each home. 

Joani Blank
Doyle Street Cohousing/Old Oakland Cohousing