Page 9 - C.A.L.L. #27 - Summer 2006

In the mid-90’s cohousing became well-known amongst Graham then took questions from those present:
the middle classes. Projects were being built so that peo-
ple could live as a community, incorporating recycling, Q. What happens if someone wants to leave a
composting, education, communal dining room etc. “It is cohousing community?
one thing for hippies and people on kibbutz, but for the A. The houses are privately owned but there is
middle classes!” exclaims Graham. an agreement that they sell their house in
consultation with the community. The community
Cohousing begins with a discussion amongst friends who can interview people. Most have a waiting list.
ponder how nice it would be to live together. They feel People that want to join are often already
like they don’t even know who their neighbours are and associate members which means that they are
are feeling disconnected from their friends and society already known to the community.
itself. Someone has read about cohousing where people
live with their friends. Q. Where do the children go when they grow up?
A. Generally, children want to do something
After two or three years, with more friends joining, they different from their parents. It is too early to
bring in an architect and a developer and design and ascertain what will happen in the USA because
build exactly what they want according to their budget cohousing is still relatively new, but in
and values. Each cohousing project is different because Scandinavia where it all began, some children
they are built according to what each group wants. come back and some don’t. The communities
work hard to recruit young people. The
* * * communities movement is strong because
people are fed up with the state of the
Graham then showed photos of three cohousing commu- environment.
nities in North America that were part of his research: Q. Do they have problems with their
surroundings?
a) WindSong – a more rural project an hour from A. A community in Denver had to contend with a
Vancouver, Canada. It has a laundry room, recreation plan to build a freeway right next to them. They
space, office, dining room, workshop and a TV room. “It’s got active with the surrounding community and
expensive housing” comments Graham. Cohousing is they stopped it. There are probably less
sometimes subsidized by the government or by other successful examples. Cohousing members are
members but it is not particularly affordable. This com- generally very motivated and political people.
munity practices composting, they grow their own food Elsewhere, cohousing communities have been
and eat together. They have committees and rosters and responsible for revitalizing neighbourhoods,
publish their own newsletter. They are engaged in politics lobbying councils to get better services.
and environmental issues and have a very strong culture
which includes art, putting on plays, creative writing and Q. What is their connection to their neighbours?
drawing. A. They do make connections to their
b) Quayside Village – 19 housing units also in neighbours. They open their common house for
Vancouver. They share 11 cars, grow food, meditate and use by local community groups. They throw
have a greywater recycling system which recycles bath parties for the neighbourhood and invite people
and sink water to be used for flushing toilets and for gar- to join their common meals. They try to integrate
dening. This community consists of members with a with the surrounding community and with society
variety of spiritual and religious beliefs – a diverse and as a whole.
tolerant community. Communities such as these are able
to support people in a crisis – divorce or the death of Q. Is there an umbrella cohousing body?
loved ones. A. Yes, the Cohousing Association
c) Songaia – Near Seattle, this community grew out (http://www.cohousing.org/) is run by volunteers
of an older intentional community, the Institute for Cul- with one or two paid positions. It is funded by
tural Affairs (ICA). It began as a Christian enterprise, by donations and subscriptions.
working in developing countries. In the 1960’s and 1970’s * * *
they lived communally in a farm building. They heard
about cohousing and decided that they wanted to grow. The final part of the presentation was a series of
They are very concerned about the environment and photos of intentional communities that Graham
have a very strong, cohesive community. They enjoy has visited. These were:
singing and have their own songbook. They have taken
American Indian spirituality. They have a shared food a) Anahata, New Zealand
system where each adult pays $80 per month and they b) Earthhaven, North Carolina, USA
can eat however much they want. They can also take c) Findhorn, Scotland (The community
items from their pantry to their homes such as toothpaste Graham joined in March, 2006)
and toilet paper) d) Ganas, New York, USA
e) Twin Oaks, Virginia, USA
f) ZEGG, Germany
by Anton Marks

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