The original group that spearheaded the project made sure that there was not only a common commitment to sharing space, responsibilities, and spending time together as a community, but also to diversity in family size and age of residents. Age, income, racial background, sexual orientation-all factors were considered in creating a diverse community. Two groups for whom the project was particularly attractive were single elderly women and couples who were empty-nesters. For the former, living within a community such as this one is a nurturing experience, one that makes up for personal losses or lack of family connections. A cohousing project is not simply for adults.
Children are an important presence too.
Residents recognize the need to impart their shared values to the next generation. In the future, older residents may even help with babysitting, thus fostering an intergenerational network and communication. In the end, this suborning of self-oriented motivations for the common good may be the greatest environmental benefit of cohousing projects.