Cohousing Resources

One particular book has been a cornerstone for many successful multigenerational cohousing communities. Charles Durrett and Katheryn McCamant brought the Danish cohousing concept to America, and they introduced cohousing through this useful book - it is easy to understand, and the stories within are beautifully told. They coined the English term "cohousing," meaning "collaborative housing."
"If I could make only one suggestion for your long-term success and the continued success of cohousing, it would be that all your prospective members have read this book, and that the folks in your town/area know what cohousing is. It is better for your community and the success of cohousing if people who are buying a house in your cohousing community actually know what cohousing is—in detail. New residents who have read the book and refer to it from time to time are the happier buyers. It sets the community up to succeed and helps get people in your cohousing community who want to be in cohousing. And it makes it more fun for everyone. "(Charles Durrett)
Buy "Creating Cohousing" from Amazon here.
This is Charles Durrett's most recent book. It is chock full of important & updated information.
"This book is for people who care about architecture as a social act. This book is for architects, sociologists, and housing advocates. For families that want to be best assured that they are moving into a high-functioning neighborhood and that their children can grow up as happy and healthy as possible. For seniors that seek alternatives to institutions or isolation. It’s for planners and politicians who want high-functioning neighborhoods as building blocks to their towns. For people planning shared housing, co-living, ecovillages, churches, hospitals, mixed-use commercial/ housing, and childcare centers and schools. This book is for developers who want to make much better than average multi-family housing, and non-profit housing developers who know that housing first is great but that community first will take us further. This book is for colleges and universities planning new neighborhoods for retired alumni, or new housing for students and faculties. And this book is for towns making, planning and walking streets, and other town altering improvements into the future wherever a highly functional community is a priority. This book is definitely for anyone planning a new cohousing community or improving an older one."
