About the Cohousing Model
Cohousing is an intentional neighbourhood design and lifestyle that combines private homes with shared indoor and outdoor amenities to support connection, collaboration, and interdependent community life.
Cohousing is an alternative development model, where future residents participate in planning and development, so that neighbourhood amenities better meet their specific needs. Often, the physical site layout is designed to provide personal privacy, as well as create opportunities for social interaction.
Originating in Denmark in the late 1960s, the cohousing model is becoming popular in many countries. Since introduction to North America by architects Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett in 1988, over 200 completed and forming communities now exist across Canada and the United States.
Today, there are over 30 cohousing communities in Canada, with British Columbia having the highest concentration of completed projects.
Neighbourhood Design
Cohousing combines the autonomy of private ownership of complete, self-contained homes with the advantages of shared amenities, resources, and mutual support. Typically, amenities include a Common House with kitchen, dining area, lounge, guest suites, meeting spaces, and workshop.
Common spaces not only make it possible to live in a smaller home, but also function as the heart of the community. Common spaces make it easy to share meals, collaborate, and support one another, while collective stewardship of the common property builds a strong sense of connection and shared responsibility.
Sustainability
Cohousing neighbourhoods tend to feature environmentally-conscious design.
Homes are often of higher quality with more green-built features than conventional housing. While this may contribute to higher construction costs, this makes them less costly to maintain and operate.
Cohousing also tends towards a pedestrian orientation, which has documented lower vehicle use than conventional neighbourhoods.
Participation
Cohousing communities are organized around principles of participation where residents actively contribute their time, ideas, and skills towards collaborative community management maintenance. Community decision making is non-hierarchical and usually by consensus.
Affordability
Cohousing provides opportunities for reducing the cost of living not available in conventional neighbourhoods.
Common spaces make it possible to live in a smaller home without negatively impacting lifestyle, while sharing of resources reduces overall consumption. Collective stewardship of the common property also results in lower maintenance costs.
This video explains cohousing nicely:
Cohousing vs. Cooperatives vs. Conventional Strata
Cohousing differs from cooperatives and conventional strata-title condominiums in some distinct ways. Differences and similarities in ownership structure, purpose and design, financing and development, and resale are explained below.
Ownership Structure
Not to be confused with a cooperative (co-op), cohousing groups in Canada typically use the strata title ownership structure that conventional condominiums use. Strata title allows for individual ownership of homes and common ownership of shared amenities. As it allows for individual title ownership, it is much easier to get mortgage financing, subject to the purchaser’s qualifications.
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Purpose & Design
With both cohousing and cooperatives, the purpose is to create a neighbourhood that better meets residents’ needs, supported by community collaboration.
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Financing & Development
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Resale
In order to maintain the integrity of a cohousing community over time, it is important for the seller to work with the community and educate potential purchasers about cohousing prior to finalizing a sale.
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Cohousing Resources
Have questions about Harbourside or cohousing in general?