The common building is designed for daily use, to supplement private living areas. The common building may include such facilities as a large dining room including a commercial style kitchen, lounges, meeting rooms, recreation facilities, library, workshops, childcare. Residents organize and participate in the planning and design process for the development and are responsible as a group for all final decisions. Complete Resident Management.
Residents manage the community making decisions of common concern at community meetings.
Unlike the communes of the 1960's cohousing retains the privacy and autonomy of the household but strengthens the family by creating supportive social networks and sharing certain daily tasks. The typical cohousing community has 20 to 30 single family homes along a pedestrian street or clustered around a pedestrian court yard. The individual homes may resemble townhouses. Cars are kept on the periphery of the area. The common building is located centrally, often situated so it is passed when entering the community.