Organization: Green Haven Cohousing

Summary:

Green Haven Cohousing is developing the first cohousing community in Connecticut. Cohousing is a type of intentional community in which people join together to create their own neighborhood. Successful cohousing communities around the U.S. and around the world typically have 25 to 45 families. Our plan is to be in the middle of that range. In cohousing, you have your own private living space that you own. Individual units are small but comfortable. There is a large common space with shared facilities. Rather than having a dining room large enough to entertain a crowd, you can use part of the common house. Rather than having your own guest bedroom that you might use two or three times a year, you can take advantage of a guest room in the common house. Similarly, all kinds of craft rooms, workshops, and other facilities are shared. Do we need thirty-odd lawnmowers and snowblowers? Probably not.

Green Haven will be multigenerational, designed for maximum energy efficiency and sustainability, using Universal Design. Like other cohousing communities, it will be pedestrian-centered rather than automobile-centered, with parking toward the outside and community space toward the inside, to encourage neighborly interaction. There will be a large kitchen and dining room in the common house where people can gather, voluntarily, to share a few meals a week. There will be space for gardening, farming, and recreation, as well.

Green Haven is actively seeking new members. Come to our community dinners and business meetings to learn more. The schedule is posted on our blog.