Washington House Cohousing | December 2017 Newsletter
Seen the site? Curious to know more?
Join us for a Thursday evening interactive discussion!
Thursday, December 14th, 6-8pm
Creating a Culture of Cohousing
Evening workshop/discussion with light refreshments
Theme: Cats, Dogs, & Bees?
People love their pets – yet, pets can be a nuisance at times. How to deal with pets can be controversial in cohousing communities. Most communities allow pets and have developed policies that make it work for all members of the community. We will discuss and debate this issue in a mock decision-making dialogue. Explorer member Jane Richter will be our facilitator. We will deliberate the issue giving everyone a chance to offer opinions and recommendations, debating and, hopefully, coming to a consensus recommendation.  At the same time, we will be getting to know each other and exploring in greater depth the dimensions of creating a cohousing community together.

Our last three evening discussions have been enjoyable and informative. We have learned from each other and gotten to know each other. It should a very interesting evening.
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Haven't seen the site yet?
Join us this Sunday at 10am to tour the site and surrounding neighborhood.
December 10 at 10am
Cohousing Site & Neighborhood Walk and Talk
(& Optional Crocker Museum Tour)
4th and G Streets, West Sacramento
The site where our cohousing will be located is in a seriously awesome location! Lively cultural offerings, emphasis on local food, beautiful scenery, adjacent to Sacramento River...
Just a short walk to the Crocker Museum, our site on 4th and G is truly in a walkable, urban, and vibrant location. Can you see yourself living here and with a connected community?
If you haven't seen the site yet, please join us to see our incredible site and talk about the real possibility of creating the first cohousing neighborhood in West Sacramento. Our neighborhood walk will be along the Sacramento River to the Crocker Museum where we will continue the discussion of what’s involved to make this happen. It will be a great time to get your questions answered. See you at 4th and G!

Don't forget it's a great time to visit the Crocker’s gift shop for beautiful holiday presents!

RSVP to Janet Wilson at janetdwilson@earthlink.net
You too can have a say in designing our cohousing community!
We invite you to become part of a dynamic team to create the first cohousing community in West Sacramento. You can help us determine what it will look like . We are almost ready to start the design process. 

We’d love to have you on board to be a part of bringing your talents into this creative, collaborative endeavor.  Find out more at one of our upcoming site tours and at our upcoming December 14 workshop Creating a Culture of Cohousing
A New Bridge Near Washington House
"It looks like this bridge should be open not long after we move into our new homes at Washington House. It will certainly benefit our Washington neighborhood, especially the improved bicycle and pedestrian access over the river."
Plans for I-Street Bridge Replacement Explained at Recent Community Meeting
-by Stu Wilson, member of Washington House Cohousing

Dozens of interested residents asked questions of city staffers and consultants, viewed historic photos, studied diagrams and renderings, and watched a slide presentation, all while nibbling cookies. Hosted by the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento, the meeting was held to keep the public abreast of progress on the project to replace the more-than-century-old I-Street Bridge . Stu and Janet Wilson of Washington House joined the throng in Old Sacramento.

There is little dispute that the 1912 double-decked railroad and highway bridge needs replacement – it’s not adequate for vehicular traffic demands of today and it’s downright intimidating for pedestrians and cyclists.
The new bridge will be similar to the Tower Bridge in that it will also be a lift bridge.
The replacement highway bridge will connect the new Railyards Boulevard in Sacramento to “C” Street in West Sacramento. With one wider lane for motor vehicle traffic in each direction, plus buffered bicycle lanes and wide sidewalks, the new span will meet the needs of locals much more safely and conveniently than the current bridge. It will be a low-level bridge, similar to the Tower Bridge, thus eliminating the need for the towering, view-obstructing ramps connecting to the upper level of the I-Street Bridge.

“It looks like this bridge should be open not long after we move into our new homes at Washington House,” said Stu Wilson. “It will certainly benefit our Washington neighborhood, especially the improved bicycle and pedestrian access over the river.”
Let's Watch a Movie Together!
by Anne Geraghty
Recently a friend urged me to watch the movie made of the 25 th anniversary production of “Phantom of the Opera”. She loaned me her DVD after she had watched it – and I did – and loved it. It was so passionate, emotional and the music a week later is still ringing in my ears. Though, I watched it alone. What fun it would have been to have spontaneously watched it with a group of friends. We could have discussed it afterwards and laughed together as we hummed the music. It might have led to us creating an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical watching festival of our own. We will be able to do this when our Washington House Community comes together. Living near each other will create many opportunities for spontaneous events such as this.
How about we do a movie night of our own in the New Year?
One suggestions is the movie Happy . It has a great piece on cohousing and how living in a connected community greatly improves our quality of life.
PDX Commons in Portland, OR is an example of a cohousing community that has a little movie theatre in their common house!
How about co-investing?
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This is what one of our recent participants (and we hope soon to become a member) proposed to her 3 adult children. Realizing that the cost would not work on her current income, she is discussing the possibility of co-investing and thus co-owning with her children her future Washington House home. This will provide her with a great place to live in her later years and will give her children peace of mind knowing that she is part of a vital, supportive community. She will make provision for them to inherit her portion when she dies.

This is an approach that may be ideal for older individuals with supportive adult children. It is an approach that might also be used for younger families. We are continuing to investigate potential financial approaches to enable people of all ages to become part of our community.  
We're Back on the Radio
And in INSIDE Publications too!
We are sponsoring announcements on CAP-Radio the week before our site tours. In addition, we have an advertisement in two INSIDE Publications – INSIDE THE GRID and this month, INSIDE EAST SACRAMENTO . We are pleased to be in the INSIDE publications as they focus on what’s going on in Sacramento’s close-in neighborhoods. See our ad on page 37 of December’s INSIDE THE GRID .
Thank you for spreading the word!

Did you know that word-of-mouth referrals from people you respect, is the most successful kind of referral. So, thank you, for spreading the word!!
What's Goin on in West Sac??

INSIDE the Grid...
INSIDE publications lists many wonderful events coming up in Sacramento. For those of you living outside of Sacramento, plan a weekend trip here! There is much to see and do. Here are a few things...

·       Richard Diebenkorn, Beginnings 1942-1955 – thru January 7
·       Exuberant Earth, Ceramics by Ruth Rippon – October 29-February 4
·       Sound of Music Festival – December 28 th

·        Intersection, Kathy Dana & Donald Satterlee – Dec 1-Jan. 25
·       LUX Aeterna: Vox Musica, Choral Concert – December 11, 7 p.m.
·       Handmade Holidays Craft Fair December 16
Sacramento Sings!
Choral music abounds in Sacramento. You can hear choral groups almost every night of the month in December.  The Sacramento Choral Calendar created in 2011 by choral singer Dick Frantzreb lists 70 independent and college affiliated choruses in the Sacramento metropolitan region on their website
Upcoming Events
Site Tour & Neighborhood Walk (plus visiting the Crocker)
Sunday, December 10 at 10am
Meet at 4th and G Streets, West Sacramento
Creating a Culture of Cohousing: Cats, Dogs, Bees?
Thursday, December 14th, 6-8pm
RSVP to Maggie Borowiak for address: maggie1000@gmail.com
Washington House Business Meeting
December 11
Open to Members and Explorers
Email Anne Geraghty for more info.
We are planning a bike tour and movie night for after the holidays! Watch for details...
Questions? Want to get more involved with Washington House?