Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: CohoUS blueprint

[Fred-List manager (fholson]

Kathryn McCamant <kmccamant [at] cohousing-solutions.com>
is the author of the message below.  It was posted by Fred of
the Cohousing-L management team <cohousing-l-owner [at] cohousing.org>
due to a format problem.

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Responding to the question:

What distinguishes cohousing from other community-rooted housing
models?

Cohousing is one type of community-oriented housing. It is defined as
individual homes (defined as having some sort of private kitchen )
whether those are studio apartments or 4-bedroom single family homes,
with community facilities. Also future residents are involved in some
way in the development/design process (although just fine if
developer-driven), and there is no “leader” dictating a philosophy
for all the neighbors to follow.  While most cohousing has generally
been an ownership model, mostly condos or planned unit developments in
the US…. Ownership is not a defining characteristic. The financing
models have evolved around what financing has been available.

There needs to be a lot of different types of community-rooted
housing, and cohousing is just one approach. There also needs to be
shared or coop houses and pocket neighborhoods, a full range of
possibilities.  We need community-rooted housing available to all
income levels. I hope cohousing will inspire many neighborhoods to
organize community dinners and incorporate other aspects of cohousing.

As one of the people who made up the word “cohousing” and helped
to launch the cohousing movement in North American and the
English-speaking world, I urge us all to keep the definition clear
while also being supportive of the wider range of community solutions.


Katie



Kathryn McCamant, President

CoHousing Solutions

www.cohousing-solutions.com<http://www.cohousing-solutions.com>

916.798.4755