Cohousing
Cohousing came to this country from Denmark in the mid-1980s. Common features include:
Communities planned and run by residents who make decisions together
A balance of common areas and private housing, designed to encourage social interaction while respecting privacy
Shared meals available in a "common house"
Members living in fully-equipped house or apartments, choosing to share a range of resources for environmental and economic reasons
Our Common Hall, a multi-purpose building
Cohousing to us means community: child-friendly, elder-friendly, sociable living; cooperative interaction; moderate level of participation; a chance to make long-term personal connections with neighbors who share many of our values.
Portland area cohousing and intentional communities
Here are a few of the varied communities in Portland. If you are looking for a unit to rent or buy in Portland, please consider these other communities.
Resources
The Cohousing Association of the United States Plentiful resources on this website include a directory of US communities, books, cohousing professionals, cohousing tours, and topics such as creating cohousing, living in cohousing, aging in cohousing, and group process. You can also find news stories about cohousing and sign up for the Association's newsletter.
McCamant & Durrett Architects/The Cohousing Company
Book: Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett