Cohousing-L Mailing List: what is the essence of cohousing?

[Ellen Orleans (ellen]

Sharon Villines wrote <<The ideas and organizing methods will become
more mainstream without being "labeled" cohousing. Neighbors are already
asking us "how do you do that." We have several very organized
neighborhood associations who are interested in concepts of conflict
resolution and shared resources. These are the skills that will feed
community development.>>

I have talked to my mother about the community aspect of
cohousing?--neighbors knowing each other, sharing tools and recipes,
keeping an eye on each others' children???she said it reminded her of
the first neighborhood she and my father moved into in the mid-1950's.
This was early suburbs, where many of the neighbors were young white
families starting out (a mix of Jewish, Protestant and Catholic);
fathers benefitting from the GI Bill and associated reductions in
mortages (which only worked, apparently, with mortages on new
construction, mostly in the suburbs). 

It makes me wonder, how much of the cohousing is about physical design
and how much is about the mindset of the people.  My brother lives in
Queen's City Park in South Burlington, Vermont, made up mostly of
winterized and remodeled lake bungalows. About 1/3 to 1/2 of the
neighbors share twice-a-month meals in each others houses. Yards are
small, doors are often unlocked, neighbors drop by regularly. It isn't
cohousing, but it often feels that way.

Ellen Orleans
Wild Sage Cohousing, Boulder

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