Sophia Community

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About the Community

What we do

Sophia Community is an intentional community living in a lovely big house in Hyde Park, near the University of Chicago. Four young women who had all spent a year doing volunteer work in inner-city Chicago neighborhoods founded Sophia Community in 1993.

We live in Quaker House, where we manage the house and guest business on behalf of the 57th Street Meeting of Friends. We have 1 family, and several singles in the community at present, and are open to more families.

Our key values are:
•Simple Living: communal chores, some organic food, shared community space, common household fund;
•Presence to Each Other: commitment to relationships, shared meals;
•Social Justice: we try to live the change we want;
•Spirituality: diverse, but we share spirituality together on special occasions;
•Hospitality: we run a small guest business for traveling Quakers and others.

 

Our Vision

intentional community

Our Mission

intentional community

Gallery

  • 9 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
9

How to join

We recruit in April/May

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Phone or email to make arrangements. We may have guest rooms available; we charge for guests.

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

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: $400
Labor required: Yes
The guest business we conduct requires about 2 hours/week.

Food and common expenses

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

Common House, Garden(s), Workshop, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure

Property status

  • Privately owned

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    0.3 acres

Reviews

Location

  • Illinois, United States

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
  • Communities with Openings
8 months ago

Oak Park Commons Cohousing – Plan to Move in Fall 2025

Illinois’ first cohousing community fosters intergenerational connection, diversity, and inclusiveness. We welcome all those who share our vision of creating a sustainable residential community in a vibrant urban suburb. Oak Park Commons Cohousing seeks new members. Join the dozen households that have already helped plan and design a five story, 24-unit building near the commercial heart of Oak Park, Illinois. The building includes a mix of one, two, and three, bedroom ADA accessible units. A package friendly first floor mailroom adjoins the lobby, elevator, and parking entrances. Noise mitigation and energy efficient air conditioning assure year-round comfort. The Carpenter & Madison streets corner location includes within a pedestrian friendly half mile radius: a middle school, bus stop, grocery co-op, drug store, bank, CTA train station, Unity Temple, Rush Hospital, Fox Park, Mills Park, and many restaurants. Madison has traffic calming and bike lanes. The Village commercial center, barely a mile away offers the Lake Theatre Cinema, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Formula Fitness Center, Public Library, Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, and specialty retail and service shops. Oak Park includes excellent K-12 schools. Lincoln public elementary school offers an optional Spanish bilingual program, Gwendolyn Brooks middle school’s wonderful performing arts opportunities and OPRF high school’s great college and career prep. Eight two and three bedroom units are still available for purchase starting at $406,640. Buyers pay a five percent earnest fee when signing a purchase agreement that goes toward down payment at closing. Units available for occupancy starting the last week of October 2025. Visit our website and talk with some of our members to learn more about who we are and how we envision building our community together.   Website: https://oakparkcommons.com/ Contacts: Charles Hoch 708-721-8817; Susan Stall 708-772-8817

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