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In this episode of This is Cohousing, Chuck Durrett talks with Laurie Frank, one of the sharpest thinkers in the cohousing movement. Laurie is a former public school teacher with more than 50 years of experience, beginning in special education and moving into building school communities centered on participation, collaboration, and leadership. She is the author of Journey Toward the Caring Classroom. She serves on the boards of United World College Costa Rica and the National Cohousing Alliance, and she lives at Linden Cohousing, an intergenerational community of about 70 people in Madison, Wisconsin.Laurie shares the Alliance’s new name, mission, and five strategic priorities. She explains why the organization now sees cohousing as part of a wider ecosystem of community-rooted housing that includes land trust partnerships, tiny home villages, and co-ops. Chuck describes how the first U.S. cohousing community in Davis, California, helped 23 first-time homebuyers into homes, and why restricting resale prices keeps cohousing from turning into a quick profit. The two also discuss the “social infrastructure” every forming group needs, including common values, community agreements, and governance. Laurie draws on Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development to explain why groups need experienced guides, and Chuck reflects on lessons from a Chicago project about following the lead of the people you hope to serve.They close with a survey of Copenhagen seniors, where 55% chose cohousing as the place they’d most like to grow old, and with what cohousing has meant to each of them personally.Resources mentioned:National Cohousing Alliance (formerly Coho/US)No Contest: The Case Against Competition and Punished by Rewards by Alfie KohnAffluenza by John de Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas NaylorCohousing Communities, Creating Cohousing, and Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves by Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant

How do you grow a cohousing movement, and what does it take to make it a normal housing choice? Charles Durrett talks with Owen Jarvis, director of the UK Cohousing Network and co-founder of the Community Led Housing Growth Lab, ahead of Chuck's upcoming UK tour through Lancaster, Manchester, Bristol, Oxford, and London. They explore how cohousing has grown in Britain since its first community opened in 2003, and what needs to change for a post-Brexit, post-financial-crash housing landscape. Along the way, they talk about a proposed London School of Economics study on how much senior cohousing could save government, the million-dollar fire truck a Nevada County community didn't have to buy, and why UK landowners and developers are now approaching cohousing groups rather than the other way around. Owen shares how Housing 21 is bringing cohousing to underserved communities through "community coaching," and why the UK's new commonhold law could open the door for hundreds of thousands of people to consider cohousing. Chuck reflects on a study of 80,000 Copenhagen seniors, most of whom chose senior cohousing over every other option, and a Danish community whose mission is to have as much fun in their second 50 years as in their first. #Cohousing #SeniorCohousing #Community #Belonging #Loneliness #AgingWell #IntentionalCommunity For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, Chuck sits down with Senait Brown of House of Mkeka, an eight-household intergenerational pocket neighborhood being developed by Black families in Seattle. Senait, a community organizer and single parent, shares how her community chose what they call "self-determined communal living": pooling their collective net worth and pursuing grants, donations, and community resources rather than taking on thirty-year mortgages or accepting the AMI and resale caps of conventional affordable housing.The conversation moves from the practical to the profound. Senait explains their "reparatory real estate" model as a direct response to redlining, foreclosure, and generations of exclusion from the wealth-building tools other Americans took for granted. She and Chuck trade hard-won strategies for finding land in a tight market — from faith-based land initiatives and city surplus sites to the biases that persist even when the money is in hand. In one striking moment, Senait recounts a fully funded land deal that fell through simply because a seller didn't want to see a Black community empowered, and why they refused to put a white face out front to make it easier.They also dig into what makes cohousing actually work: designing decision by decision rather than brick by brick, the pre-development "healing work" that funders overlook, parking and car-free design, and what Senait calls "Afro security" — designing for protection and belonging in light of the community's history. Woven throughout are the principles guiding the project, from Kwanzaa to Ubuntu — "I am because we are" — and Muhammad Ali's two-word poem, "Me, We."A wide-ranging, hopeful conversation about building community as, in Senait's words, an act of revolution. Learn more about House of Mkeka: https://www.houseofmkeka.org/ #Cohousing #SeniorCohousing #Community #Belonging #Loneliness #AgingWell #IntentionalCommunity For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What makes us feel like we belong? Psychologist, author, and podcast host Dr. Richard Louis Miller joins Charles Durrett to make the case that connection isn't a luxury — it's a biological need we've engineered out of modern life, and one that cohousing is uniquely built to restore. Dr. Miller traces how architecture, economics, and the pandemic have manufactured isolation and offers small, concrete antidotes anyone can start this week: introduce yourself to a stranger, wave at the four-way stop, make one phone call instead of sending a text. The conversation then turns to seniors, where Dr. Miller argues that "acting your age is dangerous," that aging is fundamentally about maintenance, and that senior cohousing offers a way for people to genuinely come alive again. Charles shares the practical details that make cohousing click — from remarkably affordable internet to sharing a single lawnmower across dozens of households — alongside the deeper story of neighbors who supported one another through their final years at home. Learn more about the Study Group 1 facilitator training (starting October 7, 2026): cohousingco.com/products/p/sg1 Dr. Richard Louis Miller's Podcast: Mind Body Health Politics #Cohousing #SeniorCohousing #Community #Belonging #Loneliness #AgingWell #IntentionalCommunity For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Can cohousing do what so much of American life can't — bring genuinely different people together? In this episode, host Charles Durrett sits down with Alan O'Hashi, a longtime resident of Silver Sage Cohousing in Boulder, Colorado — one of the first senior cohousing communities in the country — and author of Aging Gratefully in Good Company. Charles was the original schematic architect for Silver Sage, and the two reconnect for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about race, belonging, aging, and affordability in community. Alan reflects on a lifetime of collaborative living, from a large extended family to co-op houses to senior cohousing, and on his experience as one of the few people of color in a predominantly white movement — "the raisin in the Silver Sage oatmeal." Drawing on his Japanese American upbringing and his travels to intentional communities in South Africa, he challenges the idea that cohousing is a Western invention and asks what it would look like built by and for the other 98 percent. Together, Charles and Alan dig into why cohousing skews white and affluent, how it might evolve from a social movement into a social norm, the real work of bridging cultural divides, and why affordability comes down to getting organized. Alan also shares the moment cohousing's meaning became undeniable — when neighbors showed up at his door during a health crisis — and what living in community has taught him about elder hood. Whether you're forming a community, living in one, or wondering who cohousing is really for, this conversation offers honest, hard-won insight. Mentioned in this episode: Aging Gratefully in Good Company by Alan O'hashiThe Senior Cohousing Handbook by Charles DurrettStudy Group One: Aging SuccessfullyNeuro-Inclusive Community Design by Charles DurrettNational Cohousing Alliance For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Hear from the project manager who "project managed a project into existence."In this episode, Charles talks with tenacious project manager, Marty Maskall about what it actually takes to get a cohousing project approved. Together they discuss preparing for the obstacles, the hardships of the zoning process, how to win over the neighbors, the city, and the county. Learn when to fight the bureaucrats and when to punt, and why the group's willingness to keep showing up can make all the difference.They also get into the parts that come after approval — hiring real professionals, moving from an LLC through construction to an HOA at turnover, choosing the right type of cohousing for you.Marty's path into cohousing: facing a hundred neighbors who showed up in opposition; her group had twenty. How she handled the failures and what Marty calls "a lack of political courage on the part of officeholders." Finally what her life is like today, living in a community with thirty homes on three and a half acres that previously held a single household.Her advice, and the line Chuck calls the most important thing said in the episode: "we have far more power than we realize. You don't need to see the whole thing before you take the first step." For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Join Charles Durrett on This is Cohousing as he sits downwith anthropologist Richard Senghas. Together they explore what appliedanthropology can teach us about building community — and about changing cultureitself. Richard has lived in cohousing for 25 years and helped start two communities, including the exceptional FrogSong in Cotati, California. Drawing on his background studying how humans use language and build relationships, he and Charles dig into the heart of what makes cohousing work: the practice of "intentionally accidentally" bumping into your neighbors, the discipline of deep listening, and the slow, habitual work of becoming the kind of people who can live well together. Along the way they cover the three questions at the root of every cohousing design — who are we as a culture, who do we want to become, and how do we get there — as well as why FrogSong got built in three years, on time and under budget; Robert Bellah's Habits of the Heart; why diverse expertise beats "like-minded" groups every time; the sharing economy of a real neighborhood; the loneliness epidemic among older Americans; and Richard's compelling argument that cohousing isn't about recovering the old village, but building genuinely new ones for the challenges ahead. Above all, this is a conversation about cooperation — not as an ideal, but as a practical tool for a richer, lighter, less lonely life. For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠nccoho.org⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What does it take for a cohousing community to function at its fullest potential? In this episode, Charles Durrett sits down with educational learning consultant and facilitator Julia Jongkind, who has spent two decades living in cohousing, helping struggling communities find their footing again. Drawing from her experience rebooting three different communities, Julia shares the surprisingly simple practices that can make the difference between a meeting and a meaningful conversation.Julia offers practical wisdom for creating stronger, more resilient communities, such as setting expectations between owners and renters early on. She explains why every voice needs to be heard, how skilled facilitation can prevent meetings from becoming battlegrounds, and why routing conflict through a trusted facilitator helps even the most conflict-averse members feel comfortable.This episode's biggest takeaway shows how many conflicts that look personal are actually structural. A disagreement between neighbors may be rooted in an unclear policy or a rushed decision made years earlier. Together they unpack how communities can identify (and fix), the real source of tension.The conversation also explores the quiet habits that keep communities healthy over time: the power of a knock on the door instead of another email, the importance of a community's "elders," the balance between contribution and gratitude. Why it's important to revisit the community's mission and vision as they evolve, and how growing up in cohousing shaped Julia's own family in lasting ways.For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠nccoho.org⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What can a philosophy professor teach us after two decades of living in community? In this episode of This Is Cohousing, Charles Durrett sits down with Carl Hall — resident of Nevada City Cohousing and professor of philosophy for 34 years. Carl reflects on the journey of how an avowed introvert came to find social heaven among 34 households, why cooperation deserves the benefit of the doubt, and how cohousing offers a sanctuary from what he sees as a growing culture of separation. Building on ideas developed by philosophers throughout history, and a lifetime of teaching, Carl and Charles explore belonging, the art of listening, and aging with purpose. Together they solve the simple cohousing math where one plus one equals three. For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠nccoho.org or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Quimper Village is about as elegant as the cohousing process gets. In this episode, host Charles Durrett sits down with founding members Carolyn and Jack Salmon to unpack how their senior cohousing community on Washington's Olympic Peninsula went from a church meeting to a finished neighborhood with 28 homes in just three years.They talk about getting out of denial about aging, the "no green bananas" urgency that kept the group moving, why they completed Study Group One twice, and the record-setting site design workshop that produced twelve viable plans. Carolyn and Jack also share the philosophy that anchored everything — "you're buying a community, and a nice house comes with it" — and explain why hiring the right project manager (and keeping group members out of that role) made all the difference.Whether you're forming a community, designing one, or just curious how cohousing actually comes together, this conversation is full of hard-won, practical wisdom.📚 Resources mentioned in this episode:State of the Art Cohousing: Lessons Learned from Quimper Village by Alexandria Levitt & Charles DurrettCohousing Communities: Designing for High-Functioning Neighborhoods by Charles Durrett For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , quimpervillage.com or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What happens to adults with autism when their parents can no longer care for them? It's one of the most urgent and overlooked housing crises of our time — and intentional community may be one of the most powerful answers. In this episode, host Charles Durrett sits down with Desiree Kameka Galloway, Director of the Autism Housing Network and lead consultant for neuro-inclusive housing solutions. Having visited over 120 residential opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 12+ U.S. metropolitan areas, Desiree brings rare, research-backed insight into what's missing — and what's possible. Together, Charles and Desiree explore: Why over 1 million adults with autism currently live with a caregiver over the age of 60 — and what happens nextHow cohousing provides the natural support systems that reduce isolation, prevent abuse, and lower Medicaid costs. The critical difference between neuro-inclusive community and institutionalization — and why policymakers still confuse the twoWhat families and self-advocates should do right now to plan proactively (legal, financial, and community-building steps)Practical tools like communication badges, neuro-affirming design principles, and how existing cohousing communities can welcome neurodivergent neighborsThe inspiring example of Solheimar, Iceland — where 45 neurodiverse and 45 neurotypical residents thrive together well into old ageWhy Canada may be where the first North American Solheimar-style community takes rootAs Desiree puts it: "When people find the right housing and support system, they thrive. Don't let fear paralyze you."Whether you're a parent, self-advocate, housing developer, or simply someone who knows someone with autism — this conversation will change how you think about community, belonging, and what inclusive living can look like.Resources mentioned:🌐 Autism Housing Network — autismhousingnetwork.org📖 Neuro-Inclusive Community Design by Charles Durrett📖 A Place in the World — free at the Autism Housing Network🌐 The Cohousing Company — cohousingco.com🌐 National Cohousing Alliance — cohousingalliance.org For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What if the secret to a thriving neighborhood was as simple as sharing a meal? In this episode, Charles sits down with Vesanto Melina — registered dietitian, author of over 15 books, and resident of Vancouver Cohousing — to explore how common meals bring cohousing communities to life.From signup spreadsheets and cooking trios to rooftop gardens and $5 dinners, Vesanto and Charles dig into the practical and the profound: how shared cooking builds trust, how plant-based eating can work at scale, and why showing up to dinner on time might matter more than you think.Vesanto also shares her expertise on nourishing community meals — covering protein, vitamin D, accommodating dietary needs, and why moving toward plant-based eating is good for both people and the planet.Whether you live in cohousing or are simply curious about a more connected way of life, this conversation will leave you hungry for community — and maybe dinner.Resources mentioned:Vesanto's website: nutrispeak.comPlant-Powered Protein: plantpoweredprotein.com Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠X

In this episode, Charles Durrett sits down with Margaret Roesch, co-founder of Village Hearth Cohousing in Durham, North Carolina—the first LGBTQ+ cohousing community in the United States.What began as a response to the fear of isolation in later life became a bold, community-driven journey in living differently. Margaret shares how she and her partner Pat McAulay helped bring Village Hearth to life from the ground up—without prior development experience—and why they chose to create a 55+ community where queer elders could live openly, safely, and in connection with others.Together, they explore how intentional design shapes human relationships, from front doors placed just 30 feet apart to shared spaces that foster daily interaction. The conversation dives into the realities of building community—from navigating uncertainty and collective decision-making to moving in during COVID and weathering unexpected challenges along the way. More than just a housing model, Village Hearth reveals what’s possible when people prioritize connection over isolation. Margaret reflects on how cohousing has changed her life—supporting independence, encouraging personal growth, and creating a culture of mutual care, from shared meals to systems of helping hands.This episode is about more than cohousing. It’s about aging with intention, designing for belonging, and rethinking what it means to live well—together. Learn more about Village Hearth by visiting https://www.villagehearthcohousing.com/ For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠X

In this episode, we explore a bold rethinking of the modern campus—moving from isolated, car-dominated environments to vibrant, community-centered villages. What if campuses weren’t just places people pass through, but places they truly belong? What if housing, social life, and daily needs were woven together into a walkable, intergenerational fabric? Drawing from real projects and decades of experience in cohousing and community design, this conversation dives into how underutilized land—like parking lots and peripheral campus edges—can be transformed into thriving neighborhoods. We discuss the power of design to foster connection, the role of shared spaces in everyday life, and why the future of housing may look a lot more like a village than a development. Whether you're an architect, planner, developer, or simply interested in the future of community living, this episode offers a compelling vision for how we can build places that bring people together. Learn more about Campus Communities and their UFV project by visiting www.campuscommunities.ca For more info visit ⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠ or ⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠X

In this episode of the cohousing podcast, Charles Durrett sits down with Alan Carpenter, co-creator and co-director of the Canadian Cohousing Network. Together they explore the evolution and impact of cohousing in Canada and beyond. Alan shares his personal journey from building single-family homes to dedicating his life to creating intentional communities—sparked by a desire for deeper connection and a more meaningful way of living. Together, they discuss the origins and growth of the Canadian Cohousing Network, the success of communities like Windsong Cohousing, and what makes these neighborhoods thrive. The conversation dives into the real-life benefits of cohousing—affordability, shared resources, reduced isolation, and stronger social bonds across generations. From children freely playing outdoors to seniors aging in place with support, cohousing offers a compelling alternative to the isolation often found in modern living. They also tackle bigger questions: Why is connection so essential to human well-being? What cultural barriers make cohousing harder to adopt in North America? How can we design communities that foster cooperation, joy, and resilience? Whether you're curious about intentional communities, interested in sustainable housing models, or simply looking for a more connected way to live, this episode offers thoughtful insights and inspiring stories from decades of experience. Learn more about The Canadian Cohousing Network at https://cohousing.ca/ For more info visit ⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠ or ⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠X