Cohousing is an option that advocates living in an active community where you have a relationship with your neighbors before, during and after construction. Because the neighborhood and the homes are designed by the persons who live there, cohousing offers homeowners a social network that is already built into the neighborhood. This model works because those who live there continually develop social capital through shared activities that occur naturally as people work together and enjoy activities in the common house and common open spaces. The common spaces are designed for daily use, are an integral part of the community, and are always supplemental to the privately-owned homes. Because cohouses have “right-sized” their homes for the space they actually use on a daily basis, the common house contains a dining room large enough for the entire community to share meals as desired, as well as activity rooms, a workshop, and sleeping rooms for any guests that come to visit. The cohousing community is managed by the people who live there, with no one person having authority over others. If the homeowners decide that some practices are not working, they work together to change them. Decisions are made by consensus rather than majority rule.