Small but passionate, the cohousing movement in the United States is growing.
With 163 communities located around the country and many others in development, the Danish import that arrived here a quarter century ago is gaining ground. The concept is a powerful tool for community building: residents have private homes but share common spaces where they can socialize and eat together, and they manage the complex jointly, often making decisions by consensus. It provides a clear framework for bridging different viewpoints and lifestyles, and the proximity of homes and cozy vibe encourage people to lean on one another.
![“The joke around cohousing is, ‘[Yeah,] we have diversity in our neighborhood—we have Subarus that are three different colors,’” says Alan O’Hashi, a Boulder cohousing resident who leads cultural competency workshops.](https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iQSJpdKbJ.xA/v0/150x-1.png)
