Cohousing at Yulupa
Cohousing is a type of collaborative living in which residents are consciously committed to being in a community. The physical design encourages both social contact and individual space. Private units contain all the features of conventional homes, but residents also have access to common facilities such as open space, courtyards, a playground and a common house. Regardless of the size of the community, there are many opportunities for casual meetings between neighbors, as well as for deliberate gatherings such as celebrations, committee and business meetings. The common areas are the social center of our community, with a large dining room and kitchen, lounge, recreational facilities, children’s spaces, guest room, workshop, and laundry room. So too are the meals in the common house the social fiber of who we are. The need for community members to maintain common property builds a sense of working together, trust and support. ParticipationParticipation can ebb and flow among individual members as their personal lives have changing demands at different times. That said, it is important to understand that a self-managed community requires the participation of every member. Obligations to attend meetings, perform weekly tasks, participate in community meals and join a decision-making committee allow the community to function well with input from all. Participation is frequently dependent upon the community’s needs at a particular time and there is something happening all the time in a busy community like ours!
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Cohousing: A Unique Kind of Community
At Yulupa Cohousing, each of our 29 condominium units is individually owned, and the complex is governed by our Homeowner’s Association (HOA) bylaws. Owners may serve on the Board of Directors and participate in decision-making for the community. In this way we are like other condominium complexes.
Yet beyond this, we at Yulupa have chosen cohousing as a way to live connected to our neighbors – everything from participating in community gatherings and outings, to sharing community meals, and providing a helping hand as the need arises and as we are able. Yulupa’s shared spaces – especially our beautiful courtyard – are places where informal conversations happen every day and we can see and know our neighbors, while still enjoying the privacy and quiet of our own homes. Building social capital in any community makes the gift of giving and receiving a pleasure. We become embedded in the community as we help Yulupa thrive, by participating in shared tasks:
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