Community is Global

Dear CohoUS Community,

I am delighted to return from a 4-month sabbatical from CohoUS. During my absence, I served as the Field Director for the Spring 2024 voyage of Semester at Sea, a traveling study abroad program for college students from around the world. Accompanied by my partner and 6-year-old daughter, I lived aboard a cruise ship transformed into a college campus, circumnavigating the globe and making stops in 10 unique port countries.

Wherever our floating campus journeyed, I carried my cohousing lens with me, seeking models of collectivism, sustainability, and human connection in each location. I never had to look far. In a Masai Village in Kenya, for instance, I observed our shared ethos firsthand. Standing in the central gathering space, encircled by humble homes crafted from the earth, I witnessed a community where individual dwellings remained small, while daily activities such as meals, work, celebrations, and childcare unfolded at the heart of the village. Here, family and village structures intertwined seamlessly, with neighbors sharing all aspects of daily life.

Trish Becker, CohoUS ED and Dr. Diane Margolis, Cambridge Cohousing at the Taj Mahal

In South Africa, I learned of a Zulu practice of group decision making called “indaba.” In an indaba, participants come together to discuss and negotiate until a consensus is reached. It's a collaborative process where everyone's voice is heard and valued, often used in traditional African settings for important community decisions. This model has even been used by the United Nations to address climate change.

In Thailand, a mother handed her baby to a stranger on the bus to free her arms for her many heavy parcels, a small act that reflects a culture of trust, support and solidarity. Collectivism is observed as fractals around the globe, from subtle exchanges between neighbors to visionary policies prioritizing Earth's well-being as integral to human existence.

All the while, back home in Colorado, House Bill 24-1007 was signed into law, thanks in large part to the ongoing efforts of local activists and communitarians. This new bill prohibits local governments from limiting the number of unrelated people living together under the same roof, paving the way for more alternative and collective approaches to housing to emerge.

Cohousing is neither radical nor novel, but it sure feels like it in American society. It provides a sanctuary for collectivism within an otherwise individualistic culture, a characteristic that distinguishes it and underscores its increasing importance.

I’m happy to return to CohoUS with fresh ideas and a renewed commitment to supporting communal living in the US. I can't wait to continue building community with each of you.

Warmly,

Trish Becker

Executive Director, CohoUS

Our Spring Event series is coming to an end but there's still time to join our last event live!

Members remember to log in to your Cohousing Institute account to apply your discount. If you're logged in and your community has renewed their membership, your discounts will be automatically applied at checkout!

Non-members consider becoming a partner for $150 to access upcoming programs as well as a library of over 200 on-demand recordings, learn more here.

Group discounts are available for our multi-week trainings and our need-based scholarship application is always open to everyone. Apply here !

If you have any questions about how to register for an event, set up your Cohousing Institute account, or take advantage of a group discount, please reach out to cohousingassociationofus@gmail.com.

Accountability and Harm in Communities: May 8th, 5pm - 6:30pm MT

In the complex context of intentional communities, harm can happen even with our best intentions. To foster more inclusive communities, we must focus on cultivating a culture of accountability by addressing harm openly. Learn how accountability serves as a cornerstone for growth, understanding, and sustained support in community.

Learn more and register here!

Join us for National Open House Weekend, May 3-5

Join cohousing communities across the country as they open their doors to neighbors and friends from their surrounding communities. This is our chance to share the story of cohousing – who we are, how we live, and why we love this way of life. The weekend will feature a variety of virtual and in-person events from communities across the country, as well as several gatherings of national and regional groups.

See our growing list of National Cohousing Open House Weekend events here.

Click here to Add your Open House Event

National Cohousing Conference Registration is now open!

In 2024, we return to our Colorado roots (did you know CohoUS began as the Rocky Mountain Cohousing Network?) and reconnect with what brings us together in the first place: an experience of deep connection and belonging.

The 2024 National Cohousing Conference will take place August 2 - 4 and feature over 48 breakout sessions.

Pre-conference intensives and bus tours will take place on August 1st and 2nd.

Early-bird pricing has ended, but there's still time to sign up for the conference! Already signed up and interested in adding an intensive? View the list of intensives and register for them here.

Learn more about the conference location and our group hotel rate here.

CohoUS members receive an additional $100 discount! To take advantage of this discount, you must be logged in and your account must be registered as a member. Reach out to us at cohousingassociationofus@gmail.com if you have questions!

Click here to register for the National Cohousing Conference

Tour senior communities May 4–5!

Every spring CohoUS sponsors a cohousing open house weekend when many communities around the country open their doors to the curious. This year the dates are May 4–5, coming right up. For many communities, this may be the first time they’ve held an in-person open house since before the pandemic. Some are offering virtual open houses and some plan to hold both. This is a great opportunity to get answers to your questions about cohousing directly from people who live in these communities.

Read the Full Article

Heartwood Cohousing: New Construction in an Established Community

By: Heartwood Cohousing Members

Heartwood Cohousing is nestled in the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. We're an established community of 24 homes (move in was in 2000). In general, homes are hard to come by at Heartwood, but we're adding a long-planned-for "Phase 2" with 14 new homes in 2025.

This is a unique opportunity to get the benefits of a new home in a well established community.

It's a rural setting - our homes are clustered on about ten acres, surrounded by 360 acres of community land. We have a peaceful oh-so-quiet environment, tucked away in one of the most beautiful spots on earth. Southwest Colorado is where the majestic San Juan Mountains meet the great southwest desert... and we've got one of the best climates in the country. Heartwood is a close knit, rural community where we have nature right outside our door. The night sky is breathtaking - you may never have seen stars like we enjoy every night. It's quiet: road noise is very far away, and rarely audible. The soundscape is mostly birds, insects, and the wind in the trees - except when you hear the kids playing on the SS Ponderosa play structure.

We enjoy 360 acres of community land with 7 miles of walking trails through Piñon, Juniper, and Ponderosa forest. 300+ days of sunshine and a four season climate invites outdoor adventures year round. We have amazing access to hiking, camping, climbing, mountain biking, skiing (cross country and alpine), snowshoeing, sledding, and more - all are either either right here on our land, or just a short drive away.

Read the full article on our blog.

Interested in featuring your community in the next edition of our e-news? We're offering this featured space to any Launch Community members who would like to share more about their community, an anecdote on community life, or more! Reach out to our Program Director carolyn@cohous.org for more info!

The Commons

A (free) monthly gathering for the cohousing curious

(and experts too!)

Curious about cohousing but don’t know where to start? Want to meet with cohousing newbies and experts alike? This (free) monthly gathering will include a Cohousing 101 presentation and ample time to connect and ask questions. We’ll share cohousing lingo, best practices and more information on how to continue your cohousing journey. Join us once, or every time – we’ll be here every month on the 10^th at 10am MT.

Senior Cohousing Q&A

Want to learn more about what it's like to build, join, and participate in cohousing as you age? The Senior Cohousing Advocates Committee will be facilitating an informal conversation for those interested in senior cohousing and/or senior living in intergenerational cohousing. This (free) event will take place every month on the 20th at 10am MT.

Will you share your community stories with us?

Submit anecdotes, photos, videos and stories so that we can help tell the story of life in community.

SHARE YOUR STORY HERE

Cohousing is part of a more sustainable, democratic and connected future.

To date, CohoUS has helped enable the development of over 200 cohousing communities in the US. These communities serve as examples of the sustainable and community-based neighborhoods our country will need in the future. Please support CohoUS and help us double that number in the next few years.

Your monthly gift will both support new initiatives as well as the continued nurturing of our communities and growth of our movement. As an Evergreen Neighbor, you can take pride in creating a legacy that will live on to support future generations.

Donations, as a community or as an individual, are accepted year round and can be made to:

Cohousing Association of the US

3860 Chase St

Wheat Ridge, CO 80212

DONATE

Professional Services

The Cohousing Company

The Cohousing Company offers design and some key development consulting service from leading cohousing expert Charles Durrett to assist you in building a high-functioning cohousing community.

CoHousing Solutions

CoHousing Solutions provides development consulting and marketing services to help you create your cohousing community.

Studio Co+Hab

Studio Co+Hab is an architecture firm focused on innovative and sustainably-built environments such as cohousing and other intentional communities.