Entrance to Nomad
Nomad Cohousing is a small 11-unit community situated on an one-acre site about 2 miles from downtown Boulder. The “common facility” is shared with the 54 year old community playhouse. The theatre uses the common house on opening nights and for other special events. Nomad is walking distance from a small neighborhood, shopping center, public transportation and the foothills of the Rockies and trails.
Outdoor patio, grassy knoll
We sat in the garden with Zev Paiss, resident and sustainability marketing consultant, who shared his passion for cohousing as a way of life. Zev has been involved in the cohousing movement since the early 90’s. He said living in cohousing is the “longest personal growth workshop you’ll ever attend.”
View from Common House – looking at outdoor common house patio
The houses range in size from 675 to 2400 s.f. and are all owner occupied. This community had a stipulation from the City of Boulder to offer affordable housing-a common theme for Boulder city developments. The scale of the community made it feel like a European village where people naturally take part of ” active neighboring” because of proximity and intention. The houses were not designed for aging in place. Zev commented that cohousing is not a medical model like it is in Denmark. It is not set up to bring health care to you as you age.
Upstairs community patio
The community had an intimate, well organized feel and appearance. Zev mentioned that they typically get 90% participation to the meetings and meals. Of all the communities we toured so far, we left with the impression that this smaller size community might be easier to build and sustain in an urban setting.
Front door to one of the homes
Researching Contemporary Community Habitats 
Small is good. Inexpensive is good. Community gardens is good.
Small is relative, inexpensive is relative and community gardens should be relative.
Zev’s comment about: Community being the longest person growth experience he has ever had is right on.
Interpersonal relationships can be the most challenging part of community. Heck, it’s the most challenging part of deep, intimate or close friendships. Community is like a multipler effect.
Once again, I can only assume that clear, concise, loving communication is the only way to maintain a loving flow in a community.
i am sure he is speaking the truth about it being the growth workshop of a lifetime… or whatever exactly Zev said in the quote. It may be like a HOA on steroids…
It takes a pretty special bunch of people to live together and co-operate, communicate and grow together. i am sure you are hearing that from most of them. Especially challenging i think in the smaller more intimate communities.
Have you been asking about an owner’s “exit strategy” if somebody wants to sell and move out? Wonder how that works. Probably different in each community.
Anyway, glad you are experiencing so much variety!
HAve fun!
sarara
Hey there Ladies…You having fun? I’ve been thinking about you. Where are you today? Greg
Yes, we are having quite the adventure. Funny, you should write. David Wann asked us yesterday if we knew you. We said of course, we knew the Urban Farmer!
We are in Colorado Springs for another few hours and then off to Bayfield before leaving Colorado for New Mexico. We have less than a week left before we head back to the desert.