Cascadia Commons Cohousing Community

  • Community
  • 0 followers

About the Community

  • Established
  • Suburban

What we do

Cascadia Commons Cohousing is a community of 26 homes and a common house located in a pleasant suburb six miles southwest of the center of Portland, Oregon. We were self-developed over the period beginning with our incorporation as an LLC in 1995 (after a couple of years as a talking group). Construction was completed in 2001. We continue to develop as an “second-generation” community.
We occupy 2.9 acres of land, of which approximately half is legally designated wetlands and wetlands buffer that is required to be maintained in a natural state. Our homes are a mix of renovated townhouses, and newly constructed flats and townhouses. We are a quarter of a mile from good bus service to the center of Portland, a 35-minute ride. It takes about 10-15 minutes by car.
Our current residents range in age from 3 to 85. We are a mix of singles, single moms, couples, and families. We are ecumenical as to religion, or lack thereof, philosophy, sexual orientation, dietary preferences, and, at least in principle, politics. We share green values of caring for the earth and its creatures.
We are egalitarian in our governance, using consensus decision making, with provision for breaking impasses, as required by Oregon’s condominium law.

Our Vision

Sharing, caring community; Living in community can be a little like living in a rock tumbler. We all have rough edges that could use smoothing. It helps to be able to experience misunderstandings and disagreements as opportunities to grow. Cohousing to us means community: child-friendly, elder-friendly, sociable living; cooperative interaction; a chance to make long-term personal connections with neighbors who share many of your values. In many ways we’re like an extended family more than a neighborhood.

Our Mission

Sharing, caring community; Living in community can be a little like living in a rock tumbler. We all have rough edges that could use smoothing. It helps to be able to experience misunderstandings and disagreements as opportunities to grow. Cohousing to us means community: child-friendly, elder-friendly, sociable living; cooperative interaction; a chance to make long-term personal connections with neighbors who share many of your values. In many ways we’re like an extended family more than a neighborhood.

  • Community type
  • Cohousing

Gallery

  • 49 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
49

How to join

Only as occupancy of homes change; renters are also welcome (sublet). Prospective buyers tour and meet with current members through joint meals and work parties. It is a mutual decision process. We do keep a waiting list, when there are no sales or rentals available.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Personal guests of community members visit by arrangement with their hosts.
Non-affiliates contact us by email or telephone. Explain interest and reason for visit. A host will be assigned to work out details.
Currently we reach out via Zoom meetings.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Monthly fees/dues: $350
Labor required: Yes
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
Screening of finances is by lenders for individual mortgages

We have a nominal minimum of work/labor of 3 hours per month ( monthly work party) , and required presence at monthly HOA meetings. We also require members to be on one of the organizational committees.

The costs of becoming a resident/owner are all that is required.

Regular Home Owners Association dues are prescribed for each home.

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Library, Workshop, Hot tub or hot springs, Large Scale Kitchen, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Religions
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Jewish
  • Muslim
  • Hindu
  • Quaker
  • Sufi
  • Unitarian Universalist

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Suburban

Residential areas outside city centers but within metropolitan regions.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    2.9 acres

Reviews

Location

  • Oregon, United States

Cascadia Commons Cohousing Community

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
  • Communities with Openings
12 months ago

Water Birch Co-op. Urban living in central Denver.

Large, lovely house built in 1900, two blocks from Cheeseman Park in downtown Denver.  5000 square feet. The house was a Buddhist Meditation Center for 20 years before we got it and has lovely, calm vibes. We currently have ten people and have room for one more. We are an intentional community sharing dinners, 3 living rooms, 2 new kitchens and a kitchenette, & 5 baths. Staple food (organic) is bought together. The group is self-regulating as a co-op; it decides together how the house runs. There are chores ;-) Average cost per room is about $1000 ranging from $650 to $1354. Currently available room is $875. We are just finishing renovation of three bedrooms on the third floor  they are $875 each and share our largest, newest bath (shower and separate claw foot tub) and a brand new kitchenette  they all have beautiful windows and lots of light. PLEASE CHECK OUT COMMUNITY LISTINGS FOR MORE INFO. Initial lease for 3-6 months while we and you decide if we are a good fit for each other.  Deposit in the amount of one months rent is required prior to move in.  We do background checks on all members. Utilities are currently $130 per person per month and are all-inclusive.  They will change if costs go up, that amount is insufficient to cover utilities, or more people mean the cost per person goes down.  WiFi is via mesh network from gig-speed fiberoptic service.  Heat is with radiators.  Cooling is evaporative.  We have a storage room in a nearby commercial facility.  And a new large workshop in the garage. Shared food is $125 per month per person; it is a pass-through cost divided evenly among residents; it does NOT include meat or alternative protein nor any alcohol.  We will not be surprised if that needs to go up some soon ($10 or 15). We have two dogs and three cats in the house  that seems like a sufficient quantity of furry friends for now. Our community intentions include: Communication with compassion. Shared space and life. Shared meals. Shared staple foods which are non-GMO and Organic. Group decision making. Safe, inclusive space: queer and trans friendly, anti-racist, non-violent, and feminist. The purchase of the house by the co-op in about five years. The expansion of the co-op, possibly to include other housing types (like separate apartments). Weekly meetings and house committees to manage our community. We are considering implementing Sociocracy as an organizing method. Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 8:00am. We are looking for community members who: Want to live in a community not just have a place to sleep and eat. Want to live in a beautiful, clean, and organized house and are willing to help make and keep it that way. Residents should expect to spend 16 hours per month towards this goal. Are curious, compassionate, flexible, and open to living with others who will undoubtedly have different ideas about many things. Are interested in pioneering a new co-op. There will be work involved to get there. Are responsible and communicative. Embrace enthusiastically that living in community requires introspection and personal growth. Are not joining the community as a way of running away from something.
Need
  • Communities with Openings
5 months ago

Join us in the mountains of Western North Carolina

Coweeta Heritage Center/Talking Rock Farm is located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Coweeta is located in a beautiful and diverse temperate rain forest. It feels very remote here yet we are just 12 miles from Franklin, NC. Winters can be mild. Coweeta is blessed with springs and a stream, pristine forests, and abundant wildlife. Power is provided by a hydro-electric system which is not connected to the grid. An organic garden and trout pond provide healthy food that is also shared with the local community. Hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities are just out the back door. Coweeta is looking for others who would like to join together to form an Intentional Community embracing the principles of Voluntary Simplicity. Simply put (no pun intended): We wish “to live simply so that others may simply live.” It is a recognition that nature provides us with valuable services and resources that we can use to enrich our lives. Utilizing local resources, appropriate technology, and working cooperatively, we can discover creative ways to meet our needs as “directly and simply as possible.”. An example of this, in the tradition of many Indigenous People”, is to gather, and use wildcrafted foods as part of our diet. There is great joy in going to nature’s grocery for our sustenance. Voluntary Simplicity is based on the recognition that “very little is needed to live well” and that “abundance is a state of mind.” Living lower on the economic ladder allows us more time and freedom to pursue other life goals: community and social engagement, family time, artistic or intellectual projects, more fulfilling employment, political participation, sustainable living, spiritual exploration, and more. According to the Voluntary Collective, “The grounding assumption of Voluntary Simplicity is that all human beings have the potential to live meaningful, free, happy and infinitely diverse lives while consuming no more than an equitable share of (the world’s) resources.” We affirm the need for a work/life balance, the right to a healthy environment and healthy food, and healthy community relationships supporting a diverse population. It is our responsibility as engineers of a new generation to make the changes that we want to see happen and pass this on to the next generations. We can’t wait for someone else to do this important work. Voluntary Simplicity is a quiet revolution that can change the world. As one person said, “we must be poets of our own lives and of a new generation.” We hope you will join us here at Coweeta or elsewhere on our journey to a healthier and more sustainable future! Temporary housing is available in a 27 foot trailer trailer with attached deck next to a creek while we build additional housing. Your basic living expenses (shelter, basic food items, power and water) are met through our market garden or other fundraising projects that you will participate in. You are expected to contribute a given amount of your time and energy to help grow our community and meet our financial obligations. Possible future plans include establishing a retreat center for healing our earth and each other. Work includes organic gardening, construction projects and other community building activities. Come join Coweeta and learn how to live lightly on the land and enjoy the Earth’s bounty! For more information, visit www.coweetaheritagecenter.com Contact [email protected] for a visit or more info.  Paul

Join our newsletter to stay up to date.

By subscribing you agree to with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

Free Plan

Free plan
Free

Advertise in our Directory

  • Subtotal

    {{ currencyFormat( pricing_summary.total_amount ) }}

Become a + Member

  • Send Direct Messages and see contact information
  • Find communities based on your profile tool
  • Post Needs & Offers Listings and Events
  • Access to resources in the Members Library /// like vetted documents uploaded by communites (e.g. bylaws )
  • Member badge on your profile
  • View communities detailed reviews
  • Create Private Groups