FAQs — Columbus Cohousing

1- What stage of development is the community in?

The Cohousing Association of the United States has a great step-by-step guide for those seeking to create a cohousing community in their area. We are currently on steps 6&7.

You can read about all the steps here:

2 - Do you have a site?

Not yet! We’re actively searching for a suitable location for our cohousing community! Ideally it would be within 1-270, but we are keeping an open mind if something just outside of it shows promise.

3 - What is your decision-making process like?

We’ve begun studying Sociocracy (as so known as dynamic governance) as a governance model for our community, and have started to implement this model when it comes to major decisions. Sociocracy shares similarities with a modified consensus model and is used by some cohousing communities as an alternative to the consensus model.

4 - Are you accepting new members? What is involved in becoming a member?

Yes! First things first, please attend an informational presentation on Exploring Cohousing in Columbus! We’re trying to schedule zoom presentations once a month. After that, feel free to come and observe a couple of our member meetings. If you’d like what you see and want to move on and become an explorer, we can send you our membership policy and official procedures for you to look over.

5 - How much will it cost ?

This is the question isn’t it? We’re currently working with our consultant Katie McCamant to come up with a preliminary budget. This will help us narrow in on the costs per square foot. We are shooting for 1-3 bedroom units to range from $250,000-400,000+, but won’t know for sure until we find a site. Keep in mind the cost of the individual units will also have to factor in the cost of the communal spaces such as the common house, wood shop, etc. The more units we have on the site the less the costs for the common spaces will be, as they would be dispersed between x number of units. We are looking at anywhere from 28-35 units depending on what the site density and size will allow for. In our site search, we are looking for a minimum of 2.5 acres, ideally 4 acres and up would be best (we want room for a community garden and play spaces!). In addition to the cost of owning a unit, there would also be monthly Condo or HMO’s fees that would cover the ongoing expenses for the communal spaces. That fee is to be determined once we’ve acquired land and have a better understanding of the amount of resources (utilities, regular upkeep) needed for the common spaces.

6 - How can I stay up to date on Cohousing events and progress?

Sign-up for our newsletter*and get the latest cohousing musings and news. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! We also have an event page right here on our website where you can check and see if there are any upcoming events. Lastly, you can always email us with any questions and we’ll do our best to answer them!
*Our newsletter is commonly flagged as a promotional offer/spam, so be sure to set up a rule to include emails from columbuscohousing(at)gmail(dot)com in your regular inbox.