Cohousing: starting a “formal” conversation…

I’ve blown a lot of hot air about cohousing over the past year, and so I’ve finally decided to pursue something just slightly more structured than the handful of random blog entries that I’ve posted here.  Over the next couple of months, I’ll be attempting to start a more “formal” dialogue with people who might be interested in being a part of a small, urban cohousing community in South Seattle.

This process will likely be a long, slow journey of discernment and planning, but I think Chris and I (and Jonas) are ready to enter into that process with others to explore how a collective interest in shared space, neighborhood investment, and community living could become a reality.

When most people in the West spend the bulk of their earnings over the course of their lifetime on what is essentially a roof over their heads, shouldn’t we think more critically about how to ensure that our homes are more than just a cog in the machine of market capitalism?  Further, how can housing be reflective of the shared values and resources that make us more human?  Stewardship, beauty, community, and simplicity are all strong themes in cohousing.

As I’ve mulled over the various possibilities in site location, design, and community structure, I’ve put together a basic list of things I’d like to see in the project; however, as others join in the discernment process, this list is bound to change.  Regardless, here’s what I have thus far:

Site Location:

• My preference is for a neighborhood in (or in close proximity to) the Rainier Valley, a community rich in history and diversity with a strong neighborhood identity and sense of social capital.
• I would love for the site to be within walking distance to: (1) a public school or community center, (2) social services, and (3) the link light rail.

Design:

• One of the primary design constraints will be the minimal size of available land in these kinds of neighborhoods, but ideally, I’d be looking for a 5,000-8,000 sq ft urban infill lot, with an onsite density of 4-6 housing units (a dream find would be a large lot zoned multi-family with an existing structure needing rehabilitation which, when renovated, could serve as the common house).
• Each individual housing unit would be custom designed for the needs and budget of the household, with social and environmental sustainability in mind.
• The small common house would be designed with a kitchen, guest facilities, and multipurpose space to serve as a resource for both the cohousing community and other neighbors as needed.

Community Structure:

• The “intentional” aspects of the community would be low on social structure, but high on designed shared space (lower commitment to shared goals, higher commitment to shared space).
• A diverse mix (age, ethnicity, background) of families, couples, and singles is desired.

There are probably other things that I’m forgetting, but I think this list is a decent start.  I’m hopeful that this could become a way to live more simply and sustainably, with a deeper commitment to friends and neighbors in a fragmented culture of superficiality, upward mobility, and hyper-consumeristic individualism.  Cohousing may not be able to extricate itself completely from these powerful societal influences, but it definitely holds the potential to be a prophetic alternative to housing as usual.

For those who may be interested in pursuing this conversation further, and possibly attending a portion of the 2009 National Cohousing Conference coming to Seattle in June, let me know.

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