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This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Cohousing Company
THIS IS COHOUSING: The Cohousing Podcast, hosted by architect, author, and cohousing pioneer Charles Durrett. For nearly 40 years, Charles has explored how design and community can help us live more sustainably, affordably, and connected to one another. Through conversations with residents, organizers, architects, and developers, this podcast explores the ideas, history, and real-world practice of cohousing—and how better neighborhoods can create a better future.
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- Yesterday30 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 12 | Getting Your Cohousing Community Approved with Marty Maskall
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/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeXBossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- 2 weeks ago50 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 11 | The Anthropology of Culture Change & Cooperation with Richard Senghas
In this episode of This is Cohousing, Charles Durrett sits down with anthropologist Richard Senghas to explore what applied anthropology can teach us about building community — and about changing culture itself.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/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeXBossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Jun 29, 202645 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 10 | Rebooting Community: From Conflict to Connection with Julia Jongkind
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/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeXBossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Jun 17, 202641 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 9 | From Me to We: The Philosophy of Living in Community with Carl Hall
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/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeXBossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Jun 10, 202635 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 8 | Out of Denial, Into Community: Quimper Village with Carolyn & Jack Salmon
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 DurrettFor more info visit www.cohousingco.com , quimpervillage.com or https://linktr.ee/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeXBossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Jun 2, 202647 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 7 | Different, Not Less: Neuro-Inclusive Living with Desiree Kameka Galloway
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.orgFor more info visit www.cohousingco.com or https://linktr.ee/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeXBossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- May 26, 202643 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 6 | How Common Meals Nourish Cohousing with Vesanto Melina
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.comBossa 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/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeX
- Apr 21, 202636 min
This is Cohousing | Ep 5 | Aging with Pride: Redefining Home for LGBTQ+ Elders with Margaret Roesch
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/CohousingCoFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeX
About This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast
THIS IS COHOUSING: The Cohousing Podcast, hosted by architect, author, and cohousing pioneer Charles Durrett. For nearly 40 years, Charles has explored how design and community can help us live more sustainably, affordably, and connected to one another. Through conversations with residents, organizers, architects, and developers, this podcast explores the ideas, history, and real-world practice of cohousing—and how better neighborhoods can create a better future.
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