Auburn Cohousing—the kind of affordability and mixed-income that we have always wanted to accomplish with cohousing. The future is a society in which people help their governments accomplish great neighborhoods, and these neighborhoods in turn benefit the cities and counties themselves. Great high-functioning neighborhoods benefit everyone, and that’s how we stitch together a viable society. From police calls to fire calls like elderly pick up and put back, fire safety, eldering each other and teaching our young—it takes a village. The kind of village where people know each other, care about each other and support each other. For the hundreds and hundreds of costly services, cities and counties stand to save massively by having functioning neighborhoods. Nevada County (with a population of only 100,000) pays over $1 million a year just to get seniors to their doctors, pharmacies, physical therapy appointments, friends, and groceries. For 15 years the 21 seniors living in the Nevada City Cohousing have simply asked their neighbors for these same services and built ever better and richer relationships along the way. Cities and counties providing properties and helping to build high-functioning neighborhoods is the future of cohousing, because it benefits not only residents but their cities and counties as well. In the future cities will certainly embrace making high-functioning neighborhoods a priority. And that’s what’s happening in Placer County when they reached out to the local Cohousing Company.

There is a senior housing crisis in this country. In the United States, traditional senior housing options aren’t meeting the needs of older adults. Senior cohousing, or cohousing for 55+, has proven to mitigate loneliness and provide support to keep older adults in their homes for longer without draining government resources. It is a growing problem as Boomers begin to retire and resources are shrinking.

The Study Group 1 Aging Successfully Course (SG1) was developed in Denmark as a way to make seniors aware of the issues around aging and to inspire them to be active in their own aging scenarios. SG1 has proven to be a catalyst in getting senior cohousing communities built on-time and on-budget because groups who go to the training have addressed uncertainty and gained trust within other participants in the SG1 course. 

For almost two decades, The Cohousing Company (TCC) has trained facilitators to do SG1 in their regions. This is the fifth year we are offering the facilitator course online and have had great success. The training includes virtual meetings once per week for 10 weeks and interesting reading assignments. You will receive the Study Group 1 Facilitator and Participant Guides as part of the course fee. During this time, Chuck Durrett will lead conversations, presentations, and Q&As. As a facilitator, you will have access to the facilitator network and TCC will promote your events on social media and our newsletter.

Here is a testimonial from a previous SG1 attendee:

"I did get a huge amount out of SG1. Not just the actual content of the course but learning so much from your experiences, you are the CoHousing Guru!  Although there are obviously a few differences between the legal structures in the USA and UK, the bulk of the information travels well as so much is about human interaction and the human condition and our cultures are so similar. It was also super to hear the other participants' stories of their paths to cohousing and experiences. I feel I have made friends for life through the course and we still keep in touch on Zoom and Facebook from time to time to swop stories of progress. If, no, WHEN we are in our cohousing communities, we look forward to visiting each other's guest rooms, and WHEN we are established, there will always be room for you to visit if you make it to the UK!" — Debra Huzzard

Training details: 

Dates: Wednesdays, Oct 6 – Dec 8, from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Pacific Standard Time (3 hours)

Cost: Early Bird: $550, After Sept 20: $650

Materials: Study Group 1 Aging Successfully Facilitator and Participant Guide (included in cost); Senior Cohousing Handbook: A Community Approach to Independent Living by Charles Durrett

Requirements: Computer with microphone, headset, and video capabilities; Zoom; GoogleDocs

Before the start of the course, we highly encourage you to read The Senior Cohousing Handbook: A Community Approach to Independent Living, especially Chapter 7.

To sign up, click here. Again, email Jinglin at jinglin.yang@cohousingco.com or call my office at 530-265-9980 if you have any questions.

There is too much humanity left on the table to not do something. The SG1 Facilitator Training will set older adults up for success and we hope you will join us in this webinar series with Charles Durrett.

Thanks,

Chuck Durrett

The Chickahominy Indian Tribe is building a new childcare center on their newly acquired 14 acres in Charles City County, Virginia, for 164 children, plus teachers, and staff. This new center can very successfully fulfill the Tribe’s intention of a Community Hub where children know, “I'm connected to my tribe.”

In the Chickahominy Indian Tribe it is important to build a healthy, local community, but it is equally important to build a more viable larger society. Individuals (“me”) do better in society when (“we”) work better; we do better if we all do better. No one disputes that a high-functioning society starts with the education of young children—with well-adjusted young people who know through their experiences that they are loved at home, as well as by their surrounding community. The new childcare center will provide critical services to families, improve and foster a supportive community for children and generally benefit the larger community, directly and indirectly henceforth.

We have recently finished our first design proposal for the Administration of Children and Families. The design features a cluster of classrooms which forms an inner courtyard that not only includes pedagogical tools such as chalkboards, artpieces, and sandplay, but also important cultural symbols like canoe on a running stream and vernacular longhouse. There are three classroom types, each uniquely designed along with their playground to proportionally fit the needs of each age group. 

This Childcare Center is only the first phase of the building of Chickahominy community. The next two phases, which will be a senior housing village, followed by an intergenerational community. This not only resembles a more supportive village-like environment that used to occur naturally in native land, but also aligns with the vision of the tribe chief, “We need to get back to elders sharing with generations coming up.

The Valley View Senior Homes is one of the most exciting new affordable communities in the USA. A Solution to Homelessness in Your Town takes Valley View as an example and delineates why village design is the solution for homelessness in American Canyon, Napa County. This book is into its second printing of 1,500 copies after 1,000 sold within six months after its publication. The second revised printing is available for ordering at oroeditions.com.

There are thousands and thousands of people who want to address the challenge of homelessness, especially for seniors, especially for homeless veterans. Today governments know the why, and now they can know the how. Homelessness challenges us nationwide; its solution can be approached through local governments as shown in this book. And if you are motivated to get a new affordable housing project built, this book, A Solution to Homelessness in Your Town, is the place to start.

We've asked our publisher (ORO Editions) to give a 30% discount for the first month of sale. The discount is available now with code "solution". Please visit ORO's website if you're interested. https://www.oroeditions.com/product/a-solution-to-homelessness-in-your-town/. New and improved content, homeless units which cost from $8,000 per unit and above.