This website is among the first steps to create that cohousing community. Launched in February, 2008, the group is meeting twice a month: a business meeting and a social one. At this stage we believe the group is leaning toward an adult cohousing community. Families with children are welcome, but the needs of the adults in the community are also an equally high priority.

Consensus Training: We hosted an all-day consensus training on July 20th with process consultant Eris Weaver. It was an interesting, worthwhile experience as we explored issues within our group.

Update: At the August 17th meeting, the group sadly accepted the resignation of Carol Agate who has decided to move to Cambridge to be near her daughter and she hopes to living in cohousing there. We wish her the very best and thank her for all the valuable contributions she's given to our group.

In the wake of Carol's resignation, a discussion was held as to how to proceed and divide up the tasks she has been performing. An informal proposal was made to hire a cohousing consultant to better guide our efforts. That proposal will be formally submitted and further discussed at the September meeting.

Individuals interested in considering Westside cohousing and being involved with us should see our How to Join page.

What is Cohousing? As the Cohousing Association explains it, "Cohousing communities balance the traditional advantages of home ownership with the benefits of shared common facilities and ongoing connections with your neighbors.

"These cooperative neighborhoods, " it continues, "are among the most promising solutions to many of today's most challenging social and environmental concerns."

Another definition of cohousing describes it as private residences designed to foster community and cooperation while preserving independence. Perhaps a couple dozen private residences are clustered near their shared facilities. And the members design and manage all aspects of their community.

Rob Sandelin, a resident of Sharingwood Cohousing in Washington State came up with a list of 10 great reasons to live in cohousing that gets to the heart of the matter.

If you are interested in the possibility of creating a cohousing community somewhere on the Westside, please send us an email and bookmark this page for updates. You'll be kept informed about how much interest has been shown, the logical steps that other successful cohousing developments have followed, and how else we can make our dream a reality.

If you are interested in possibly joining us, please see the page about that process.

The links at the left will eventually describe our own community as it evolves. In the meantime, they link to information primarily on the Cohousing.org site. Bookmark this page to easily return here.

If you are interested in learning more about this potential cohousing community, please email us at

(The above email address is not a link in order to avoid spamming. Just copy the address in your email program.)

All the best,
The Westside Cohousing Forming Group