Cohousing is a synthesis of several of the best features of multifamily housing, limited in size to a range of 12 to 40 units. It is designed and often developed by the residents who will live there, centered around the concept of balancing community and privacy in an old fashioned village. Due to limited government support for the early projects they have tended to be market rate housing rather than low income. However, in Denmark much of the cohousing that is currently being developed is government sponsored rental or cost controlled affordable ownership. Cohousing developments vary in size, location, type of ownership, design, and priorities.
Future residents participate in the planning and design of their community.
They are responsible as a group for most of the final design decisions. With central pedestrian walkways or village greens, cars are generally relegated to the edge of the project, and sometimes to underground parking structures. Communities are generally designed to include significant common facilities, however, all residents also own their own private homes - with kitchens. As an integral part of the community, common areas are designed for daily use, to supplement private living areas. Decisions are made together, as a community, often using decision making models such as consensus, or sociocracy.