CoHousing, Downsizing, Great Places, New Communities, Retirement, Trends

Jackson Place Co-Housing Visit

Co-housing is both a way of living and a  kind of housing. Co-housing is preferred by people who prefer to be part of a community with a high degree of interaction, interdependence, and cooperation. For many, their co-housing community is like an extended family. In cohousing, all members are expected to work together in managing the community and maintaining the common areas. Participation in community meals and activities is usually optional, but many find it a convenience that they couldn’t get anywhere else.

If you visit several co-housing communities you will find houses of all sizes and styles: large and small houses, condos, and townhouses.  The buildings are often clustered in one area, leaving another large are of open space to be shared by all members, similar to cottage communities or cluster developments.  In addition to common open space, there is also a common building or area for activities that members share, such as preparing and eating common meals, recreation areas, workshop, studio, or play areas. Buildings in co-housing communities tend to be greener, and built with more durable, longer-lasting materials, and are innovatively designed by their initial occupants.

Recently I visited a friend in Jackson Place, a large community close to downtown in Seattle. I was surprised at the diversity of ages of people living there. I think what surprised me the most was what an ideal place it is for families. When visiting, I entered into the courtyard that is surrounded by the structure and was struck by what a safe place this is for children to play in. Indeed, there are many families there, along with a good number of empty nesting singles and  couples.

The southern part of the complex is townhouse style units, whose back doors all opened to the common courtyard area. The back doors of the units entered to the kitchen area, which most of us consider to be the informal part of the house. It reminded me of my childhood, where friends visited each others’ homes in the back doors, and the front door was the formal entry, used more by more formal visitors who were not as close (or the Fuller Brush man). A 3+ bedroom townhouse unit I visited had a lower level with a formal entry on the street side. Also on the lower level was a room with a bathroom, that could be used as separate living quarters, and rented out. Another option could be a live-work situation, using the street entrance as an entrance for clients or customers. The main level was the living areas with a half bath, and the upper level had 2 more bedrooms plus a den area with a balcony. It seemed like a small space for a family of four, but cohousing spaces tend to be smaller, as a lot of life takes place in common areas.

The northern part of Jackson Place contains apartment style flats above the common areas. In the hallway was posted a cat-stitting schedule, where neighbors post when they will be gone, and other neighbors look after their cats. There was also the front entry lobby, which, of course, gets little use as an entrance because everyone enters from the back entrance! They are considering turning the lobby into a library.

What also struck me is that this complex is unique to any condo complex that I had ever visited, both from how it looked, and how it felt to be there. As my friend showed me around, more unique features came up, including the cat-sitting cooperative, a large workshop for projects, a very nice play area for kids including a tree house, and an on-site pea patch. Already, this has more and better amenities than almost any other condo complex. Then, there’s common dining  area and huge well-equipped kitchen, along with the system of assigning cooking or cleaning tasks for the members who partake in the community meals 3-4 days a week. It was explained to me that to participate, a member had to cook or clean only 3 times a month, nd contribute to the food, and in return could eat 12-16 meals there a week! The only downside it seems could be the amount of time it sometime takes to finish a meal that has turned into a conversation.

There are three communities in  Seattle, a couple in Bothell, Bellingham, and others on Whidbey, Vashon and Bainbridge Islands and in Port Townsend and Indianola near Polsbo. More are being planned. Starting a cohousing community is very labor intensive, according to those who have done it. As anyone who has built a house knows, there are easily over a million decisions involved in the process, and I am only exaggerating a little. Imagine the decisions in building a community with a group of people, using a  consensus decision making process! Apparently it is worth it.

Cohousing has been growing nationally. The best website to find out more is cohousing.org. A rapidly growing sub-group of cohousing is senior housing. The Elder Co-housing website tells more about that.

The local cohousing community is especially energized about the upcoming National Cohousing Conference they are hosting at the University of Washington this June 24-28.

There are two ways to live in co-housing, either get together with a group and found a community and participate in cohousing from the ground up, or buy into an existing one. As good a life as it is, usually units sell by word of mouth to people who are known to existing groups, and occasionally some do get listed on the MLS. For info on listed properties, contact Greg.