Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: optimum size for a community

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> I would postulate that larger communities work better (sociologically) in
> more rural settings, and that smaller communities can work better in very
> urban settings.  In other words the bell curve shifts up or down based on
> the urban or rural character of the site.  I think this has to do with
> social and interpersonal connections to the wider community, and what are
> sometimes called off-site affiliates, or non-resident associates who
> participate in community activities, but not live within the community.

This is a very helpful insight. Takoma Village (DC) is an urban community
with 43 units although many units have a single person living in them.

I like this and chose a larger community rather than a smaller community
where I would go stir crazy.  Here, there is always something going on that
not everyone knows about but we have ways of communicating with everyone
fast if we need to. But the diversity doesn't get on all our nerves all the
time as it would if we were 12 units. And we have a very diverse group.

What I didn't count on was the wide range of "extra" people that we all
bring with us. Many of our units have a single person in them but each
single person brings in many friends and family members.

Easter Sunday, the commonhouse was the site of one resident's big extended
family dinner with other residents invited. Many of our residents were out
of town but some joined in and had a wonderful time. Other holiday dinners
have been about half and half residents and non-residents.

An urban setting also raises different issues for the commonhouse use. There
are many more people and groups wanting to use it, and many more friends
accompanying residents. This makes liability issues sticky when we talk
about the workshop, exercise rooms, and hot tub.

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org



The guest rooms are right across from my unit and I'm at the end of a
corridor so most of the people I see walking by are visitors. I'm getting to
know them as if they were residents. I know some people's guests better than
I know them.

> Larger than about 40 units gets very challenging also, for the opposite
> reason.  While you have the economic advantages, and the advantage of not
> having to like everyone, it gets hard to know everyone, and to keep track of
> their regular visitors and family members.

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