~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

What is cohousing?
(an abridged list reprinted with permission from www.cohousing.org ©)

The six defining characteristics of cohousing:

1. Participatory process.
Future residents participate in the design of the community so that it meets their needs.

2. Neighborhood design.
The physical layout and orientation of the buildings (the site plan) encourage a sense of community. For example, all of the private residences are clustered on the site, leaving more shared open space.

3. Common facilities.
Common facilities are designed for daily use and are an integral part of the community, but each owner will have a private residence.

4. Resident management.
Residents manage their own cohousing communities, and may perform some of the work required to maintain the property.

5. Equality in decision-making.
Leadership roles will naturally exist in a cohousing community; however no one person has authority over any other.

6. No shared community economy.
 The community is not a source of income for its members. Although similar in concept, cohousing is neither a commune nor a co-operative.

6300 East Virginia Beach Blvd.                           Voice Mail    757.806.4298 
Norfolk, VA 23502

Thank you. Your Gift is Appreciated.