Cohousing started in Denmark over 20 years ago, and is well established there. In a cohousing community , each household owns its own complete private home, with private outdoor space. The homes are grouped around a cooperatively owned common house, with auxilliary facilities such as a larger kitchen, gathering hall, children's areas, laundry , food co-op, guest rooms, office space, computers, workshops. Cars are parked on the side, so the area around the houses is more pleasant and child-friendly. The ideal is full participation and full empowerment for all, from the physical design through the selection of residents to the management of the commons.
Decisions are made by consensus, so there can be no ruling faction.
Residents participate in cooperative activities on a voluntary basis. Individual privacy, autonomy, finances, beliefs and habits are respected. Ecological sanity is built-in to a cohousing community. The clustering of buildings cuts down on pavement and other infrastructure, and frees the majority of the land for other purposes. Shared resources allow less waste, fewer purchases of major appliances and tools, less packaging, less fuel usage.