Lynch said one of her favorite aspects of the design is that the kitchens will be at the fronts of the homes, so residents can look out of their windows and wave to passers-by. Small gestures such as making eye contact make for a friendlier environment, she said. Now that designs have been chosen, Lynch said members will have plenty of time to discuss other details. McBroom, a journalist at UC Berkeley who has studied anthropology, grew up in a similar community in Sacramento. The overwhelming benefit is having a community where you know each other and can depend on each other.
Neighborhoods are no longer neighborhoods.
People don't often know who their neighbors are. Learning how to live with people in a community is a skill we're losing. I think this is the next stage for recovering a community. McBroom lives in the Oakland hills and is anxious to move in. Katie Oyan covers Pleasant Hill.