Community Organizing Takes All Types

By: Trish Becker-Hafnor, CohoUS Executive Director

As we reflect on the momentum built from gathering in person at this year’s National Cohousing Conference, it’s clear that community organizing takes many forms. Whether through shared meals, building coalitions, or advocating for broader social change, every contribution counts. Deepa Iyer’s Social Change Ecosystem framework is a powerful reminder of this, illustrating how movements thrive when we embrace diverse roles. Whether you see yourself as a caregiver, disruptor, builder, storyteller, or any of the other roles, each is essential to the success of our communities and the broader movement.

Throughout the year, we continue to connect and organize through our virtual learning platform, The Cohousing Institute. This fall, we’re excited to roll out new programming that will offer fresh opportunities to deepen your knowledge and strengthen your community. From workshops on marketing and CRMs, to sessions on neurodiversity and inclusion, our fall lineup is designed to address the challenges and opportunities facing cohousing communities today. These programs are a chance to engage with experts, share experiences with peers, and bring new ideas back to your community.

As we look ahead, now is the perfect time to commit to community by renewing or starting your membership with the Cohousing Association. Membership connects you to a network of passionate individuals and communities dedicated to making cohousing more accessible. It also comes with valuable benefits, including free access to events & trainings on The Cohousing Institute, opportunities for advertising, and more. Your membership not only supports our ongoing efforts in advocacy, outreach, and resource development but also strengthens our collective movement. Let’s keep the momentum going as we build the future together!

Learn more about membership!

This fall we'll be hosting events on marketing, learning how celebrating neurodiversity can help strengthen our communities, and exploring what cohousing abroad can teach us about living in community.

October 23 @ 12pm MT: From Interest to Commitment: The Magic of Using a CRM System for Marketing and Recruitment

October 29 @ 12pm MT: Attracting New Members To Cohousing Through Celebrating Neurodiversity

October 30 @ 4pm MT: Lessons Learned from Urban Cohousing in South Korea and Belgium

November 4 @ 5pm MT: How to Analyze Marketing Success

Burns Village: A beacon of neighborliness and connection

In a world increasingly characterized by isolation and disconnection, Burns Village & Farm in Burns, Tennessee is poised to stand as a beacon of neighborliness and connection. This emerging Cohousing community is more than just a collection of homes; it’s a revolutionary approach to living that seeks to counteract the loneliness epidemic and foster close-knit relationships among its residents.

For those who dream of a more engaged, supportive, and sustainable lifestyle, Burns Village offers an unparalleled opportunity to be part of something truly special.

Read a blog post by Burns Village and Farm to learn all about what makes their community unique!

Seniors in Cohousing Get Higher Profile

by the Seniors in Cohousing Committee

The National Cohousing Conference held in Denver Aug. 2–4 gave seniors in cohousing a higher profile than previous conferences, thanks to our new Seniors in Cohousing Committee. The committee presented three sessions exploring different aspects of seniors in cohousing. It also hosted an early morning “Coffee & Donuts Meet & Greet” that attracted a nice turnout of folks bringing questions or sharing their community experiences.

“We were surprised to attract a high number of interested and engaged participants to all three of our sessions,” says Dyan Wiley, committee chair and CohoUS board member. “Ours were among eight sessions to choose from in each of those time slots. Out of about 250 conference participants, our sessions attracted between 25 and 30 attendees each.”

Will you share your community stories with us?

Submit anecdotes, photos, videos and stories so that we can help tell the story of life in community.

SHARE YOUR STORY HERE

Cohousing is part of a more sustainable, democratic and connected future.

To date, CohoUS has helped enable the development of over 200 cohousing communities in the US. These communities serve as examples of the sustainable and community-based neighborhoods our country will need in the future. Please support CohoUS and help us double that number in the next few years.

Your monthly gift will both support new initiatives as well as the continued nurturing of our communities and growth of our movement. As an CohoUS Donor, you can take pride in creating a legacy that will live on to support future generations.

Donations, as a community or as an individual, are accepted year round and can be made to:

Cohousing Association of the US

3860 Chase St

Wheat Ridge, CO 80212

DONATE

Professional Services

The Cohousing Company

The Cohousing Company offers design and some key development consulting service from leading cohousing expert Charles Durrett to assist you in building a high-functioning cohousing community.

CoHousing Solutions

CoHousing Solutions provides development consulting and marketing services to help you create your cohousing community.

Studio Co+Hab

Studio Co+Hab is an architecture firm focused on innovative and sustainably-built environments such as cohousing and other intentional communities.