- What are some important features of cohousing?
- How much will Rocky Corner units cost?
- I have concerns about privacy. What kind of privacy can I expect if I choose to join the Rocky Corner community?
- What about safety and security?
- Will there be a work or participation requirement?
- What will the common facilities include?
- Will there be space for members to grow some of their own food?
- What is the relationship of Rocky Corner to the wider community?
What are some important features of cohousing?
- Privately owned homes in a community where privacy is valued and interaction and sharing among neighbors happens naturally
- Pedestrian-friendly layout that encourages walking and where children can play easily and safely outside
- Resalability—cohousing homes typically retain value and appreciate faster than conventional housing
- Common house and green space that provide for a broad range of recreational areas and activities
- The safety and security inherent in everyone’s knowing one another
- Reduced energy consumption and sustainable design
- Multigenerational community
- A range of prices for homes, encouraging economic diversity
- A return to the cooperation, neighborliness, and independence that have deep roots in the American character
- Participatory decision-making by the community members on managing and maintaining the community
For a broad overview on cohousing, visit www.cohousing.org.
How much will Rocky Corner units cost?
There will be 17 market-priced homes. The expected price range, depending on unit size, is about $340,000 to $415,000. There will also be 13 affordable homes with their prices determined in accordance with state law. Some of the homes may be available as rentals.
I have concerns about privacy. What kind of privacy can I expect if I choose to join the Rocky Corner community?
Each living unit will provide the normal amount of privacy any of us would expect in an attached, single-family home. While the layout of the community will encourage interaction among neighbors, anyone who wants a period of seclusion and privacy needs merely to close the front door.
What about safety and security?
Typically, cohousing neighborhoods are very safe, because neighbors all know one another (there is very little turnover in cohousing communities). A multigenerational community means that there are trusted adults present nearly all the time, so parents feel safe letting children play outside without formal supervision. Invited guests are always welcome, but most cohousing communities encourage strangers interested in cohousing to make appointments for tours rather than just wander in.
Will there be a work or participation requirement?
Most cohousing communities have a structured work requirement for their members. The Rocky Corner community places a high value on active participation. In a self-managed community there is always an abundance of opportunities to pitch in and get involved, with a wide variety of types of work to fit the talents, interests, and limitations of individuals. Those who participate in this way often report that working closely together with others is an especially satisfying way of connecting and feeling a strong sense of community.
What will the common facilities include?
We plan to have:
- A large kitchen and a dining room that can accommodate community meetings and shared meals
- Smaller rooms such as a sitting room, a lounge, and a workshop, as well as multipurpose rooms that can be used as art studio space, a children’s play room, a teen lounge, space for family parties, committee meetings, and formal and informal gatherings of all types
- A laundry room for use by members who choose not to have their own laundry facilities
Will there be space for members to grow some of their own food?
Many of us are already involved in serious gardening and even farming, and we are committed to including ample space to continue these contributions to the health and resilience of our community and our neighborhood. There will be space for individuals or groups to have their own separate community gardens as well as opportunities to participate in a CSA or to raise ones own crops or animals on a somewhat larger scale.
What is the relationship of Rocky Corner to the wider community?
Rocky Corner takes an active interest in the wider community. Many of our founding members are active in the effort to help make our bioregion more resilient economically and more sustainable ecologically. We support groups such as the Greater New Haven Transition Initiative, The New Haven/Quinnipiac Bioregional Group, the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, and many others.