Shepherd Village

  • Community
  • 0 followers

About the Community

  • Established
  • Town/Small City

What we do

A cohousing community of 30 households, welcoming and inclusive, using planet-friendly building materials and practices. Embraced by the beauty of rivers & mountains, and nestled in a culturally dynamic, small university town

Homes 904-1482sq ft. footprint, some with second floor loft and basement options.

Community members share ownership of:
• 4000 sq ft solar-powered Common House
• walking paths through our wooded 19-acre site
• community garden (and chicken coop)
• shared woodworking and tool shop
• bike & kayak and other storage
• recycling shed

Shepherd Village is ideal for empty nesters who are looking to downsize and simplify their lives in the Eastern Panhandle of WV while enjoying the gifts of intentional community. Shepherd Village is a 10 min drive to the MARC commuter train to Washington DC. The site is also a short walk from the heart of town, with its shops and restaurants, easy access to the Potomac River and many outdoor activities. Shepherd University offers a wide variety of cultural and educational opportunities, and hosts the nationally acclaimed Contemporary American Theatre Festival every summer.

Our Vision

A welcoming cohousing community, supportive of each other, our larger community, and the environment.

Our Mission

A welcoming cohousing community, supportive of each other, our larger community, and the environment.

  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • 60 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
60

How to join

Attend our virtual Open House, announced in our newsletter, the Shepherd Village Voice. When you attend the Open House, let the moderator know that you would like to be on the Prospective Owner / Renter List, and you will get instructions. You can subscribe to our newsletter through our website.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Contact us through our website, ShepherdVillage.net.

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: Yes (amount not specified)
Labor: Encouraged or suggested
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes (some debt)

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

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Large Scale Kitchen, Fire pit, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • About once a week

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

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

Setting

  • Town/Small City

Smaller municipalities with local services but rural character.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    19 acres

Reviews

Location

  • West Virginia, United States

Shepherd Village

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
Need
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
11 months ago

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