At the September Discussion Group we spoke about cohousing. Cohousing is an intentional community, meaning a group of people plan and manage shared living arrangements that generally comprise private homes and some shared facilities, such as gardens, kitchens and recreational spaces. The idea originated in Denmark in the 1960s by groups of families that were dissatisfied with the existing housing options, and sought to establish a living arrangement that would meet both social and physical needs. The idea has risen in popularity in recent years, particularly in the promotion of 'eco-villages' that also seek solutions to environmental concerns by sharing energy needs and reducing people's reliance on cars for transport.
Australia's cohousing communities are listed on the cohousing website,
which provides details of the two currently operating in
Perth. SomerVille EcoVillage is in Chidlow, and is set in 162 hectares. It
comprises 10 clusters of residences, each with a car-free common area at the
centre, and a 20-hectare car-free zone in the centre of the village. Owners can
purchase land in the community and must build their dwellings to specific
sustainability requirements, and the community also has shared gardens, farms,
laundry and living areas. Pinakarri is in Hamilton Hill, and has a land area of
less than one acre with 15-20 dwellings. It is funded by both public and
private funds, and offers affordable rentals as well as private ownership.
Again, it has shared gardens, farms, laundry and living areas as well as
holding shared meals on a self-rostered basis and a monthly open house
community dinner.
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These innovative habitats seek to address a range of social
and environmental issues and are based on the premise that by working
collectively individuals can achieve more than they would otherwise. In the
midst of Perth’s current housing crisis, with only 2% of rental properties vacant,
such projects could not be timelier. However, cohousing does not necessarily
have to involve spending large sums of money to buy into a cohousing estate or
even the collective ownership by a group (which can be problematic as a result
of the legal issues associated with shared ownership- this should become easier
if the new cooperative law is passed in state parliament). Sharehousing can be a
way of creating intentional communities, with weekly dinners or Mojito Mondays
providing a social event for housemates. Choosing to rent or buy a property in
close proximity to friends, family, and work/study locations is another way of
intentionally designing your living arrangements around social, environmental
and consumption concerns. Taking down fences between properties (obviously with
your neighbour’s consent) is also a means of structuring your living space so
you can share it with others.
However, these options may not available to everyone,
particularly our newest Australians. The First Home Project is a unique and
inspirational form of cohousing, where a family of three have sought and
received community support and funding to buy a large property that can fit
three families at one time to provide medium term accommodation and an
inclusive community for recently-arrived refugees.
So if neither a 3x1 in Perth’s rolling suburban sprawl or an inner-city dog-box
are appealing or affordable, perhaps cohousing offers some alternatives.
