As the American dining room disappears from new residential construction, we are faced with a question, can our need for connection outweigh years of societal and economic shifts to preserve space for gathering?

Cohousing is an intentional community model where residents live in private homes but share common spaces and amenities. Designed to foster community interaction while maintaining personal privacy, cohousing addresses modern isolation by fostering neighborly connections. These communities feature shared areas like kitchens, dining rooms, gardens, and recreational spaces, encouraging social interactions and mutual support. Cohousing promotes collaborative governance and resource sharing, providing a sustainable and enriching living experience. For those seeking a sense of belonging and a supportive community, cohousing offers a transformative alternative to traditional housing arrangements.

Did you know that “it is illegal on 75 percent of the residential land in many American cities to build anything other than a detached single-family home”? This restrictive zoning, highlighted in a 2019 New York Times article, exacerbates our national housing crisis. But while zoning changes are coming, slowly, we don’t have to wait to create the housing we want to live in now. Maxing out allowable density is nothing new to developers. However, housing projects designed with community in mind is much more rare. There is a balance to be found between maximizing density and designing spaces for harmonious living. Crow Woods, a nine-unit cohousing community in development in Seattle, exemplifies this balance and shows how intentional, community-driven design can create not just housing but homes.

Do you often find yourself sifting through documents and spreadsheets when trying to keep track of project specifications? Keeping clear records of all of the products used on a project is essential to ensuring that it is delivered on time and on budget, which can be hard to do when the information is scattered.

Join me in attending Rooted In Belonging, the 2024 National Cohousing Conference!