Is Cohousing Right for You?

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By Popular Demand: Cohousing Living

By Patricia Kutza

While much attention focuses on the continued appreciation of Northern California residential property, it’s still a fact that many homeowners have issues with the quality of life in their neighborhoods. They harbor the dream of living in a community where social interaction within a sustainable environment is a consciously cultivated value.
     That’s why a growing, multigenerational cross section of Sacramento-area residents is opting to live in cohousing developments. Its typical small footprint (between 25 and 35 units) and private-ownership model resembles condominiums. But that’s where the comparison ends. Averaging a full 2,500 square feet to 7,500 square feet, the common areas are much larger than those of a condominium, reflecting cohousing’s emphasis on shared common meals, child care and teaming for everything from gardening to carpentry.
     The cohousing concept has gained considerable momentum since its beginnings in Denmark in the early 1970s. There are cohousing communities in 69 cities across the United States, and Northern California continues to lead this trend, with at least 14 developments in such cities as Cotati, Pleasant Hill, Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville and Nevada City. Muir Commons, the first U.S.-based cohousing neighborhood, was built in Davis in 1991, and downtown Sacramento’s Southside Park has been in operation since 1993.

Smart-Growth Magnet
Northern California has long been a magnet for advocates of smart-growth principles and intentional communities, says Kathryn McCamant, principal architect of the Nevada City-based firm McCamant & Durrett Architects. It’s a natural progression from customizing homes to customizing neighborhoods.
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