Cohousing is people living together in small neighbourhoods designed for community interaction and personal privacy. Cohousing is an intentional neighbourhood of private homes clustered around shared spaces. It is a community designed to foster connections.
Each a home has traditional amenities, including a kitchen and private outdoor space.
Shared spaces typically feature a common house, which may include a larger kitchen and dining area, laundry, guest accommodation, a workshop and recreational spaces. Shared outdoor space may include parking, walkways, open space and gardens. These are places that bring people together. Neighbours share these facilities and resources while maintaining independent lives.
Households have independent incomes and private lives, but as neighbours, collaboratively plan and manage the shared spaces and community activities. The legal structure is typically a strata or housing co-operative. Collaborative decision-making builds relationships.
Community activities can include regularly scheduled shared meals, meetings, and workdays. Neighbours often gather for parties, games, movies, or other events. Cohousing makes it easy to form clubs, organise care, and share transportation.