RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
t ’ s a Friday afternoon in Fair Oaks , and Marty Maskall wants to show off her pool . Well , it ’ s not her pool , exactly ; it also belongs to her neighbors . And it ’ s not yet ready for splashing around , but once it ’ s up to code and filled with water , she knows it will be a big draw for adults and kids alike .
The pool , at the edge of an adjacent clubhouse , is just one gathering place at Fair Oaks Eco- Housing , a new 30-home cohousing development tucked away on 3.7 acres near Sunrise Boulevard . The two-story clubhouse is empty today and has been since residents started moving into the development in June 2020 . But while the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing shelter-in-place guidelines have had an impact on some aspects of communal living , a companionable vibe still thrums through this community , which Maskall cofounded .
Residents chat while they garden in their yards , and in the evenings , a small , socially distanced group might gather to watch a soccer match on a nearby strip of grass . Throughout the day , homeowners often relax on their porches , sipping drinks and waving to those who wander past . That neighborly spirit is by design .
The modern concept of cohousing originated in 1967 in Denmark when groups of families , unhappy with existing options , sought to create “ intentional communities ” that centered on sharing spaces , resources and skills . This idea eventually migrated to the United States via architects Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett , who embraced the concept after visiting Denmark and coined the term cohousing . In 1988 , the couple published what ’ s widely considered the definitive book on the subject , “ Cohousing : A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves .”
Cohousing shouldn ’ t be confused with the concept of communal living , where residents usually share the same living quarters . The Cohousing Association of the United States defines cohousing as “ community designed to foster connection ,” where physical neighborhood spaces , outdoors and indoors , give residents a place to interact outside of their private homes . The prevailing philosophy , according to the organization , is one rooted in unity : “ Collaborative decision-making builds relationships .”
Durrett was inspired by the trip to Denmark , where he says he observed “ highly functional ” neighborhoods . What appealed to him , Durrett says , is the neighborly way people gathered outside and in the common house to socialize . “ It was the way ( people ) knew each other , cared about each other and supported each other ,” he says .
McCamant , now president of Nevada City-based CoHousing Solutions , which works with such communities , says one has to experience cohousing to understand it . “ You have to live there to really get it in your bones , to understand what it feels like to be surrounded by people that you know and that are there for you ,” says McCamant , who , like Durrett , lives in Nevada City Cohousing .
Or , as Maskall sees it , it ’ s about living independently , even as you get by with a little help from your friends . “ When I ’ m
48 comstocksmag . com | January 2021