March 2020
Cohousing Now!
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A Journey Toward Home
Lonon Smith spent half his life working as a writer in the film industry. The death of his wife sent him on his way to Sacramento to be near family. There, a role in a local play led him to Norma Eugenio, a Brazilian born actress, and life improved. Shortly after they were married, Norma introduced him to cohousing.
Despite a few attempts, finding the right fit took awhile. Lonon had grown up in a small farm town in California, Norma in bustling Sao Paulo. He visited the proposed Washington Commons site first. After an initial meeting, Lonon walked through the adjoining streets with their older Victorian houses, unpretentious bungalows, and low-rise apartments. On one lot, he saw a U-pick flower business. Then, to his surprise, on a metal plaque embedded in the sidewalk, he found a poem to the river itself. He spent an hour walking back and forth, reading the poem. He was home. Washington Commons and the neighborhood, with its urban infill vibe with the feel of a small-town neighborhood, was a perfect fit.
A few months before Lonon and Norma joined, Washington Commons held workshops with their architects, leading to a design modeled after PDX Commons in Portland, Oregon, with 4 floors on the half-acre lot owned by the group and 35 single level condominiums. Norma and Lonon will enjoy common meals in the dining commons, or perhaps the terrace. They’ll park their car on the first floor where they may run into neighbor Chris as he stores his bike after a ride, or Fran as she finishes a project in the messy crafts room. The exterior will provide security while welcoming their new neighbors in the surrounding neighborhood. Entering their new home will be like stepping into a village street. They will pick up their mail and chat with friends before taking the convenient elevator up to their home. They look forward to living in a community that embraces the benefits of the city and offers easy walks to neighborhood locations.
Summer will find the new neighbors walking the couple of blocks to Devil May Care Ice Cream or other locally owned shops and restaurants. For cyclists like Chris, The River Walk with its bike path and boating opportunities is just a block away. For those who like city life, Sacramento’s newly vibrant downtown is an easy walk or bike trip across the Sacramento River. Chris will be able to walk or bike to the Amtrak station and catch a train to visit his family in the Bay Area. Members who work in one of the many Capitol-area office buildings will walk or bike to work.
Norma and Lonon are delighted to be part of the ongoing shifts and changes to this beautiful part of West Sacramento. The U-pick flower business Lonon noticed on his first neighborhood stroll has become a non-profit urban farm, mentoring local youth. Washington Commons will bring another approach to increasing social connection and growth opportunities in the area as members enjoy life together while growing the skills it takes to do that well. It’s not too late to join them! Reserve your unit and join them for groundbreaking in 2021.
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Cohousing and Coronavirus
WebChat Series
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Click here
to register for this series of free / donation-requested online events.
All WebChats will be at the same time: 5pm Pacific, 6pm Mountain, 7pm Central, 8pm East. They may be on different days of the week depending on the availability of the presenters and hosts.
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Thur, Mar 12, 2020 - Recording
Keep Cohousers Healthy:
a conversation facilitated by Karen Gimnig
Please
CLICK HERE
to register for free access to recording
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Tues, Mar 17, 2020
Emotional health and the impact of isolation: a conversation facilitated by Karen Gimnig
As follow up to our last WebChat, we’ve scheduled this one to particularly address the emotional strains of social distancing and isolation. While we keep our bodies safe, how do we also protect our emotional health?
Please
CLICK HERE
to register for these free WebChats
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Thur, Mar 19, 2020
Open House Options: presentation by Raines Cohen and Alan O'Hashi
An Open House is a great way for a community to share the good news about cohousing, which is why we do one on a national scale each spring for National Cohousing Open House Day. This year we’re thinking some communities may be looking for some alternative approaches to sharing with others. In this WebChat, Raines and Alan will share some ideas, including an example of a tour video. Bring your ideas too, the more the merrier as we get creative in the face of challenges.
Please
CLICK HERE
to register for these free WebChats
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Tues, Mar 24, 2020
Cohousing and the Corona Virus: focus TBD
We’re reserving this time for the conversation that needs to be had that time. Watch here for more details a few days before the event. With things changing so quickly on the ground and in the media, we look forward to meeting the needs that arrive.
Please
CLICK HERE
to register for these free WebChats
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Bored?
For many folks canceled work and social events means they have time on their hands. As a person who understands what cohousing can bring to the world, we have some suggestions for what you might do with your extra hours to support the cohousing movement:
- Go HERE on cohousing.org and make an ongoing monthly donation, become an Evergreen Neighbor; help our community of communities stay connected
- Share a cohousing experience of yours, write a blog, share photos, post in our facebook group!
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Simple Series 2020
Online Conferences RFP's
We are now accepting submissions for three upcoming online conferences.
May 30 The Heart of Community
Aug 23 Community for All
Nov 7 Nuts and Bolts of Community
We are doing a single RFP for all three of our upcoming online conferences.
If you have a great idea, but you aren't a speaker, we still want to hear from you. What session would you like to see at an upcoming online conference? Fill out this form and we'll see if we can make it happen.
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This Rocky Corner event is being transitioned to ONLINE!
Rocky Corner Cohousing in Bethany Connecticut
will be hosting an event
Saturday April 25
, details will be
posted here
Fair Oaks EcoHousing in Fair Oaks California
will be hosting an onsite event and tour
Sept 12-13
, details will soon be
posted here
The Commons on the Alameda in Santa Fe New Mexico
will be hosting an onsite event and tour
October 9-11
, details will be
posted here
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National Cohousing
Open House Day
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Save the date
Sunday April 26, 2020
for National Cohousing Open House Day.
Watch here
for details including a list of communities participating, how to register your community, fun ideas and
options for these unusual circumstances we're experiencin
g!
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National Cohousing Conference 2021 Madison, WI
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We are thrilled that the 2021 National Cohousing Conference will be in Madison, Wisconsin!
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We are pleased to offer a mid-month mini-eNews as well as our monthly eNews published at the month end. C
lick here
to access years and years
of eNews back issues
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The Cohousing Association is funded by donations from people like you. Thanks so much for your support.
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