CoHo EcoVillage is a community in which residents have their own private homes while sharing in many aspects of life.
Democratic process: We manage community life through our steering council, monthly plenary sessions, and teams. The teams make routine decisions, while major decisions are made by community consensus.
Purposeful interaction: Running into neighbors on the path, music and board game nights, community meals, plenary meetings, and work days increase neighbor interactions and build relationships that make the community thrive.
Common house: We have a large community building with a kitchen and dining room for common meals, laundry room, guest room for visitors, kids playroom, library/meeting room with a woodburning stove, and a patio with picnic tables and an outdoor grill.
Common meals: A few times each week, have home cooked shared meals in the common house. This allows us to enjoy company and conversation, with a nearby playroom for kids to enjoy when they finish eating. Neighbors take turns managing the cooking and cleanup.
Shared equipment: We own lawnmowers, garden and landscaping tools, and other equipment that can be checked out by residents.
Garden space: Residents can use the garden space to grow their own vegetables. There is an orchard club that maintains the orchard.
Shop: We have a wood shop that is used for personal projects, as well as building maintenance and repairs.Bike barn: We have a large bike barn for residents to store their bikes. It includes a bike shop to make it easier for residents to maintain and repair their bikes.
CoHo EcoVillage has 34 units and approximately 70 residents from infant to elder.
A group of approximately 70 people from infant to elder, living in 34 townhomes (with kitchens). Homes are occupied by one to four people. Languages spoken: English, Swiss German, Spanish, Cantonese.
We are teachers, students, business owners, brewers, nurses, school bus drivers, builders, college professors, activists, bakers, and more!
There are several kids from toddler to teen, and many kids are now in college, so we are actively looking to welcome the next generation of little ones. Priority given to young families.
Response from one member:
“We raised our children for 18 years in a place where they had the freedom to play outdoors and companions who lived just seconds away. As parents, we believe this helped them thrive—and it certainly gave us a welcome break! I was surprised to learn that kids embrace playing in mixed-aged groups. Our kids also formed their own relationships with other adults in the community, and those adults, in turn, helped keep an eye on them. It was a joy to watch our children racing up and down the path on all kinds of wheeled toys. Having an elementary school with a dual Spanish immersion program within walking distance was another huge plus. Most striking of all is the confidence our children developed in interacting with adults, and how deeply they’ve become involved in civic life.”
The easy answer is that we don’t. Each home is privately owned and when a resident is ready to sell, they can sell to whomever they like.
The long answer is that we are a very tight-knit community. Our neighbors are our friends and chosen family. That means that when someone is leaving, they’ll consider the needs of the community rather than just choosing the highest bidder.
Some owners may also choose to rent their houses out from time to time for a short period or a long period.
Transactions over the past few years have ranged from around $400,000 to $500,000. The house sizes range from a two-bedrooms to four-bedrooms.
It varies from year to year, however on average there is a home that goes up for sale every year. We currently have 5 units that are being rented, on average there is a unit or a room in a unit that is available each year.
At CoHo EcoVillage, your monthly dues are similar to your typical Homeowners Association. They include: heat, hot water, water, sewer, trash, upkeep of the exterior of the buildings, common area insurance, upkeep of the common house, woodshop, parking lot, landscaping materials, professional tree workers, and more.
Depending on the size of your house, dues range from $450 to $600 per month
Residents handle most of the indoor, outdoor, and administrative work. This includes serving on teams, such as the steering council, facilitation team, and finance team, and participating in regular community work parties.
Participation at CoHo is a core part of community life and culture, essential for building connection, keeping costs down and nurturing a sense of belonging. Members are encouraged to contribute voluntarily in ways that match their skills, availability, and community needs, recognizing that participation levels naturally ebb and flow over time. Individuals take part by attending monthly work parties and business meetings, cooking and cleaning up after community meals, serving on teams, going on community retreats, and coming to parties and social events. This shared involvement supports smoother operations, deeper neighbor-to-neighbor understanding, and a resilient, cooperative community.