Co-Housing – A New Way of Living

Living in isolation, especially as we grow older, isn’t conducive to good mental health. Which is why, along with healthy eating and regular exercise, those in an older age group are encouraged to socialise and take an active part in their community. Co-housing is a model of living which takes this a step further with homes built in close proximity to each other, and with the intentional purpose of creating community among the residents who live there.

There are already several co-housing clusters in New Zealand, most notably Earthsong in Auckland, Toiora in Dunedin, Cohaus in Auckland, and the more recently established Cohousing in Takaka. There is generally a waiting list for homes in these communities to become available, so let’s take a look at some of the features of co-housing communities that make them so attractive.

Unlike retirement villages, where homes are purchased from a single business entity, dwellings in co-housing communities are owned outright, and are purchased from the community entity to which the incoming owner will be a part of. That makes the owner as responsible as any other co-housing resident for the maintenance and upkeep of their home and communal grounds.

Co-housing homes may be privately owned, but this does not mean they can be sold to whomever the owner wishes. Rather, it is the collective co-housing community which decides who an incoming home owner will be. This is usually done through an application process and an interviewing panel made up of co-housing residents. The reason for this is each co-housing collective has its own distinctive character which it seeks to maintain.

While a co-housing resident owns their own home, they share the common ground surrounding their home. This can come with responsibility which is collectively decided. For example, a home owner might be in charge of an amenity garden, watering trees, or organising a collective vegetable garden. Co-housing communities also seek to collectivise the ownership of tools, and small machines such as lawn mowers or rotary hoes. As they often have a wish to promote sustainability, they may have a collective EV charging station, bicycle shed, shared laundry and outdoor furniture. Many of them have state of the art insulation and passive-heating built into their design.

More importantly, co-housing establishments seek to create a sense of community by including a community gathering space as part of their common ownership. In many ways, it is this gathering space that is the hub of the co-housing site. A gathering space is usually a hall-come-meeting space with a communal kitchen. It is to this space that residents are usually required to come, on a regular basis. This may be for a weekly (or more frequent) shared meal prepared by residents rostered to do so. The gathering space can also be used for a games evening, movies, and resident celebrations. The communal hub serves as a meeting space, and it is meetings that drive the co-housing’s planning.

Co-housing involves living in a private home, but simultaneously living in a community, and there are many facets of community living which must be discussed and agreed upon. These can include financial responsibilities, changes to legal structures and community rules, conflict resolution, shared activities, and sustainability goals. Decisions are usually made through consensus (that is, by achieving general agreement rather than taking simple one-off votes). In this way, the community has the best opportunity for achieving harmony.

If you are seeking community, especially one hosting a range of ages and abilities (every co-housing establishment is different but most seek to represent the full spectrum of responsible society), then a co-housing home may be right for you. If you are interested, contact the community that most interests you, and express your interest in a home should it become available. It is unlikely a residence will become available immediately (although it’s possible), but there is no harm in putting your name on a waiting list.

Co-housing is a growing trend. Look out for developments in your own area, or if you are entrepreneurial by nature, you may even want to get the ball rolling by joining together with others who have the same concept in mind. It is individuals, rather than businesses and developers, who have established co-housing communities, and you could be one of them!