What is Co Housing?

A new approach to affordable,sustainable housing.

The essence of cohousing is a combination of self-contained dwelling units with some shared facilities. Each household has its own front door and can live independently. Alongside this are shared facilities where residents can eat together when they wish, and often also a shared sitting room, guest rooms, laundry etc. The major benefits of cohousing include:

Affordability: The shared facilities mean that individual units can be smaller and hence more affordable. Sharing transport, childcare, food purchasing and production also help reduce living costs. Most cohousing groups have some units available for affordable rent.

Sustainability: A cohousing group can live more ecologically than a single household: for example, through car pooling, shared shopping, sustainable energy systems. Having more social contacts and some work opportunities where you live reduces the need for car use.

Community: Cohousing creates many of the qualities of a traditional neighbourhood or small village. It makes it easy for people to socialise and support each other. It creates a safe and supportive setting, especially helpful for older people and young families.

Autonomy: Cohousing enables individuals and households to maintain a high degree of independence: they can choose how much interaction with the wider group they want. Whilst some group agreements are essential, these are kept to a minimum