Next Site Tour:
Sun. August 26
|
|
Downsizing:
The Benefits of Living Small
|
|
In 2017, the average size of a newly built home in America was over 2600 sq ft, an average of about 1000 sq. ft. per person. In most cohousing developments, by contrast, houses are more modest by design. Smaller homes are more energy efficient, use fewer resources to build, and leave more land available for shared resources like gardens, walkways, pools, and children’s play areas. Fair Oaks EcoHousing offers five floor plans, ranging from 2 to 4 bedrooms, but the majority of the homes will be well under 1400 sq. ft. For many residents, moving into our new homes next Spring will mean downsizing, at least in terms of our individual residences.
With that in mind, I decided to do some research on the potential benefits of living in a smaller space. What I discovered was an increasingly widespread recognition that living smaller, whether in cohousing or in more traditional neighborhoods, may be a happier, healthier choice for most people.
First, research from several recent studies suggests that living in bigger houses does
not
make people happier. In fact, the scale of a large house may actually jeopardize our happiness. In an article in
The Week
, Bonnie Kristian argues that "
big homes isolate us. They separate us from each other within the house, and they encourage us to treat our home as our personal fortress, our bulwark against the broader community." Smaller homes, by contrast, facilitate family bonding; they also encourage people to go outside, and interact with their neighbors.
Here are some other advantages of scaling down:
Smaller houses typically cost less to buy and to maintain (lower mortgage payments, property taxes, heating and cooling costs, etc.). This can leave you with more money to spend on experiences which, research shows, contribute far more to our happiness than do our possessions. See
this article in Forbes
for more on happiness and the way we spend our money.
Smaller houses take less time to clean, freeing up time for more rewarding activities, like travel, learning new skills, or just going out for coffee with friends. According to the Forbes article cited above, “People who have more frequent social interaction live longer, healthier lives and experience less stress, depression, and feelings of isolation.”
Finally, smaller houses hold less stuff--which means less time spent cleaning, organizing, and maintaining our possessions--and less temptation to acquire more.
|
|
In fact, living with less stuff may be psychologically liberating. In the bestselling book,
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
, Marie Kondo proposes that we can transform our lives by letting go of everything we own that does not spark joy. Kondo’s approach has made the prospect of downsizing from 2000 sq. ft. to approximately 1100 much more inviting. Who
wouldn’t
want to live surrounded only by things that make us happy?
|
In the News
:
"The New American Neighborhood:" Creative New Forms of Communal Housing
An article in the August 10 edition of Parade Magazine focused on the growth of cohousing communities in the U.S.--165 built, 140 more planned--as well as the rise of creative new forms of communal living designed to meet the needs of specific populations. Bastion, for example, is a New Orleans community for veterans suffering from PTSD and their families. In addition to housing, residents have access to on-site art therapy, counseling, meditation, legal aid and financial literacy classes. The residents “all pitch in and support each other,” veteran Malik Scott observes. “It’s a little village here.” Ollie, a co-living boarding house in Pittsburg, offers young singles priced out of big city housing affordable studio apartments with extensive shared amenities, including an onsite gym and organized social activities, from yoga to weekend ski trips. With ten locations and 60 more planned, Ollie Founder Chris Bledsoe is convinced, "This is the future of housing.''
Other creative adaptations of the cohousing model include an urban condominium community with a rooftop farm in Seattle and a 55 + "pocket neighborhood" of modular homes tucked into an established neighborhood in Asheville, North Carolina. Senior communities, in fact, are the fastest growing segment of cohousing.
As Sky Blue, of The Fellowship for Intentional Community (FIC), observes, “Whether the initial draw is company, saving money, greener living or physical and emotional support, communal living seems here to stay. ‘Words like
economical
and
ecological
share the root
eco
—which is Greek for ‘home,'” Blue says. “It’s about getting your basic needs met and doing it together.”
The full article can be found
here.
|
|
Curious About Cohousing? Resources to Explore
|
|
If you would like to learn more about cohousing--where it came from, how it works in practice, and the different forms cohousing communities have taken around the world, here are a few resources:
TED Talk:
How Cohousing can Make Us Happier by Grace Kim. One project featured in the Parade article was a small Seattle cohousing project designed by architect Grace Kim. There are other TED Talks on cohousing available but this of Kim's is one of the best.
View her full TED Talk here.
Books (all available on Amazon)
Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities by Katherine McCamant and Chuck Durrett. From the Editorial review on Amazon: "
Written by the award-winning team that wrote the original "cohousing bible" and first brought cohousing to North America, this fully-illustrated manual combines nuts-and-bolts practical considerations and design ideas with extensive case studies of dozens of diverse communities in Europe and North America."
Sustainable Community: Learning from the Cohousing Model
by Graham Meltzer. Written from the perspective of a researcher, this book presents the results of the author's investigation of cohousing communities in Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. With interviews, graphs, diagrams, and over 120 photographs.
Reinventing Community: Stories from the Walkways of Cohousing
by David Wann. This book tells stories about life in cohousing communities from the perspective of those who live in them. From reviewer Raines Cohen: "
I love the way it helps connect to the PEOPLE in cohousing, not just the "sticks and bricks" of environmental efficiency/green building or practical aspects of community-building."
Wisdom of Communities:
a new four-volume book series from the Fellowship for Intentional Community, covering how to start, join, communicate within, and sustain housing for groups.
Visit their site
for more information.
Website:
This is the website of the Cohousing Association of the United States. In their own words, "Coho/US is a national non-profit raising awareness of the benefits of cohousing and supporting the development of cohousing communities nationwide." On this site, you can find a directory of cohousing communities in the U.S., articles about various aspects of creating and living in cohousing, links to 15 videos about cohousing, and much more.
|
|
Community News
Find Out About Our Community
|
|
Join us on September 11 for an evening of coffee & conversation
Ever wondered what cohousing is all about, or if it might be a good fit for you? If so, you are warmly invited to join us at 7 pm on September 11 for an informal evening of coffee and conversation about cohousing. Held at the home of future Fair Oaks EcoHousing residents Bob and Karen Anderson, 5001 Shamrock Drive, Fair Oaks, CA, 95628. Please rsvp to Karen by phone or text at 916-947-3070 or email:
fresianlass@gmail.com
.
|
|
Where We Started:
The Site seen from New York Avenue
|
|
Where We Are Now: Concrete is Flowing!
|
|
Around 3,000 BC the Egyptians used mud mixed with straw to bind dried bricks. They also used gypsum mortars (plaster of Paris) and mortars of lime in the pyramids. 5,018 years later, modern concrete is flowing at Fair Oaks EcoHousing. Buildings 2 and 6 have had their footings poured. Next comes the foundation inspections of the slab rebar, followed by pouring the slab on 8/15 for Bldg. 2 and on 8/17 for Bldg. 6. Bldg. 3 gets its foundation forms built, while Bldg. 4 gets its foundation trenches dug. The plan is for framing to begin 8/20!
Note: Building 1 progress has been delayed due to a needed plumbing revision. As soon as the revised plans are approved, work will begin again on preparing for the footing to be poured.
John Szostek
|
|
Where We are Going . . . View from the Entrance
|
|
Be Part of Our Community:
Just 3 Homes Left!
|
|
As construction progresses on our project,
Fair Oaks EcoHousing has only a few homes left. Call now to learn about cohousing, tour the site and reserve either a 2+ bedroom townhome or a spacious 2-story 4 bedroom townhome that is now available.
Key features for all include:
•
Large windows, allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the home and make rooms feel light and spacious
• Open design for living and dining areas, providing more space and flexibility in use
• Modern kitchen
with ample storage and counter space
• Porch or deck for visiting with neighbors
The 2-story 2+ bedroom townhome includes:
• Bathroom upstairs and downstairs
• "Plus" room, ideal for a home office, craft room, or play room
The 4 bedroom townhome includes:
• Spacious upstairs master bedroom with a full master bath and walk-through closet
•
First-floor bedroom, perfect for a home office, an aging family member, or single-floor downstairs living
•
Large wrap-around porch that provides roomy outdoor living space
Like all homes in Fair Oaks EcoHousing, these homes are designed for energy efficient living, with eco-friendly construction and high-quality fixtures and finishes.
Fair Oaks EcoHousing is a pedestrian-friendly village for residents of all ages, with a centrally-located clubhouse, pool and spa, and garden.
The location is close to Fair Oaks Village and the American River Parkway, with many nearby dining and entertainment options, plus easy access to the freeway.
If you are interested in learning about the community, please see below for information on the site tour.
|
|
Fair Oaks EcoHousing Site Tours
Sunday August 26 at
10:30am
Fair Oaks EcoHousing will be a neighborhood of 30 homes on 3.7 acres in Fair Oaks, CA, 18 miles east of downtown Sacramento. Come see the site and our architectural plans, and meet members at an upcoming cohousing informational meeting. Kids are welcome.
Act now! Fair Oaks EcoHousing has only a few homes left. If you are interested, please come to the informational meeting and site tour. Other h
omes do become available on occasion. If you like what you see at the tour, please join our interest list to be notified of new availability.
To go on the Site Tour, meet at 10:30 am
at the
Fair Oaks Coffeehouse in Fair Oaks Village,
at 10223 Fair Oaks Blvd
, at the intersection with Park Drive. Look for us on the side of the Coffeehouse, in the patio area or in the building at the back. We will introduce you to the project, and then we can carpool to the site.
The event will last about an hour and a half, with an optional lunch afterwards at the Siam Patio Restaurant or the Smokey Oaks Tavern. If you can't make it Saturday, the next tour is Sunday August 26. Please RSVP below. Thanks!
|
|
Want to Learn More About Fair Oaks & Sacramento?
|
|
Pictured: Fair Oaks Village, Fair Oaks Theatre Festival, Floating the American River.
Click below for useful links, there's a lot to keep us busy here!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
