Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Attracting younger families

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On May 5, 2020, at 9:08 AM, Fred-List manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org> 
> wrote:
> 
> Abe Ross <cohoyote [at] gmail.com>
> 
> In reviewing the archives I see that several cohousing projects have
> encountered difficulties attracting younger families.&#xA0; I also see that
> the suggestions which have been made are anecdotal. Has anyone asked young
> families who have joined cohousing communities what it is which attracted
> them to cohousing?

From past discussions:

1. Plan to install an indoor and out door play area from the beginning. Put it 
in the budget and on the plans so caregivers know you are serious. “Building it 
later” is a “will not happen” message. You will probably not have enough money 
later - or at least for a good number of years. Rob Sandland liked to tell the 
story of his community. They had a huge pile of dirt from constructon and 
planned to haul it away. The kids had so much fun playing on it that it became 
a play area.

2. Realize the households with young children can’t attend evening meetings. 
They might not have dinner until 6-7 (or even later) and then need to get 
children in bed and ready for work the next day. Keep in touch. They will show 
up when things are firm. Their lives are too much up in the air to sign on to a 
risky project.

3. Of all the groups I’ve been in, not just cohousing, 4:00 on Sunday has been 
the best time for meetings. Unless you are Mormon, which means Saturday is the 
best day, unless you are also Jewish.

Sharon
——— 
Sharon Villines
http://sustainablecohousing.org
sustainablecohousing [at] groups.io
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