Happy Thanksgiving from CoHousing Solutions

CoHousing Solutions Newsletter | November 2021

Grateful for Community

Being that Thanksgiving is tomorrow, we've got our cohousing communities on our minds. It hasn't been an easy year for anyone. The pandemic continues to be a handicap in all of our lives and yet, here we are surrounded by our amazing communities that are pressing forward in their progress to build a brighter future with connection at the very center of it. There's nothing more professionally fulfilling than to associate with fine people who know the value of living in community and will jump through the hoops to make their cohousing community a reality.

Mission Peak’s Persistence Leads to Land: Get involved now to participate in the design process!

Mission Peak Cohousing Village in Fremont, California are still buzzing from the recent closing on the purchase of a site they had been pursuing for years. What a victory! Anyone who knows the Bay Area knows how how difficult it is to find open land suitable for a cohousing community and this group's persistence and fierce commitment to their vision shows that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

The journey has been a rocky one. In the beginning days of their forming community, they developed a list of attributes for choosing a desired location. They were lucky to connect with friends who had knowledge of Fremont land use and helped them identify potential properties. They engaged CoHousing Solutions to advise them and worked with an experienced realtor who helped them connect with the owners of the properties. Although many didn't respond, a few did asking unrealistic prices. It wasn't looking good for the group at this point. Nevertheless, they persisted.

Fast forward to five years later- 2019, they had a stroke of luck. One of their members had learned that a former Fremont resident had inherited the home where he grew up and was now ready to sell his property. He received a couple of offers from a few developers but they didn't complete the sale. Due to Mission Peak's willingness to be patient, they entered into a purchase agreement with the seller in January 2020. One of the conditions of completing the sale involved applying for a permit to dismantle the buildings on the property. The seller thought it would be straightforward, but the City determined that historical analysis was required. This took more time, particularly in the time of Covid shutdowns. It ended successfully in October with a favorable decision by Fremont City Council. Once again, Mission Peak's persistence and dedication to their vision paid off and they're only looking forward.

On the other hand, this story is just one of thousands that help explain why California seems never to build enough housing. In this case, an 1940s neglected house and old barn has held up moving forward on 32 new homes in the middle of the city, walking distance to transit for nearly two years.

If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about the Mission Peak community, THIS is the time. It's an exciting chapter as they begin to bring their vision to life. Click here to learn more.

Washington Commons Breaks Ground!

November 19th marked a memorable day for everyone at Washington Commons, an urban community in West Sacramento just a block from Sacramento River. The community has its building permits, construction financing and reached 75% pre-sold and was ready celebrate the eminent start of construction by breaking some ground! The celebration offered an opportunity to reflect on all it took to get here and appreciate the surmountable patience, persistence, and passion.

It was a great turnout with members coming in from as far as New Hampshire. All of the key players: the banker, developer, contractor and consultants were there to celebrate this special milestone. The Mayor Pro Tem of West Sacramento gave a warm welcoming speech.

Community Member Lisa read the Land Acknowledgement, recognizing the natives people who had lived on this land for thousands of years. The Mayor Pro Tem of West Sacramento gave a warm welcoming speech. Then Scott introduced Katie to share the story of the community’s beginning, honoring its founder Anne Geraghty for her gumption. Anne hired Katie and CoHousing Solutions when it was just her, Anne. She had done cohousing classes and discussion groups, but nothing had come of it. She wanted to live in an urban Sacramento community, and it looked like it was up to her to get it going. We developed a site search strategy, with Anne driving up and down streets noting under-utilized properties and collecting addresses. We developed a simple introductory letter…. And sometimes miracles happen. After a lot of work, Anne is indeed building her community, with the help of her many new friends.

We at CoHousing Solutions are especially enjoying working with many of our favorite colleagues: Developer, UD+P, Marketing Consultant, Shelly Parks , and Landscape Architect, Jo McProud .

We are over the moon for the community and look forward to sharing in this next chapter, as they see their dream literally come out of the ground.

To learn more about Washington Commons visit their website.

The Value of Community

by Jayme Zupo

I remember it clearly- the exhaustion, the loneliness, the sense of isolation I felt during those first years of being a parent. Had I only known about cohousing then, what a different experience I would have had.

We had just moved from the city to a rural river town in the Northern California foothills after my first daughter was born. As a cinematographer, my husband (now ex) worked away from the home for long stretches at a time so I got used to spending a lot of time just baby and me. It was fun in the beginning, but after the novelty wore off while he was away, I grew exhausted, overwhelmed, and deeply lonely. With neither of our families nearby and at least a 30 minute drive to any civilization, I was feeling the isolation.

If only I had known about cohousing 10 years, ago, it would have been my saving grace. There would have been less tears and more energy (more sleep too). There would have been less isolation, and a lot more connection (and literally at my doorstep!). I would have had community to share in my daughter's firsts as well as a built in support system when the moments were hard. Heck, I would have even been able to have gotten in a nap here and there, or have received some invaluable parenting council. To me, all of this is priceless. Living in a sustainable community where people genuinely care about the well being of their neighbors is a missing factor in our current society.

These recent articles (see below) got Jayme and I talking, and Jayme remembering how isolating mothering can be. To this day, it seems no one warns new mothers that the “luxury” of being able to stay home with your children is often a trap of isolation in America’s single-family home developments. Such a contrast with the welcome my neighbors had for their baby girl in August. As many arms as they want, ready to walk and hold her, chat with a neighbor, whenever they are ready. We work together as a community on how best to support the new parents without overwhelming, giving them the space they need for their new family. For thousands of years, humans have always raised their children in collective settings: tribes, villages, the extended family. How will you find your contemporary tribe or village?

Check out the following articles if you haven't already:

The Cohousing Community that saved me from Parenting Isolation

Does Co-Housing Provide a Path to Happiness for Modern Parents?

American moms are isolated, overworked and undersupported. The solution may be living together, separately.

Hold the Date : National Cohousing Conference

The Cohousing Association has announced the next In-person National Cohousing Conference will be August 25-28, 2022 in Madison WI. These conferences offer a wealth of information and connections for anyone interested in cohousing and any stage of cohousing (seeking, forming, and long-time living in cohousers). We look forward to seeing lots of new and old friends there.