This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast

THIS IS COHOUSING: The Cohousing Podcast, from The Cohousing Company and hosted by architect, author, and cohousing pioneer Charles Durrett. For nearly 40 years, Charles has explored how design and community can help us live more sustainably, affordably, and connected to one another. Through conversations with residents, organizers, architects, and developers, this podcast explores the ideas, history, and real-world practice of cohousing—and how better neighborhoods can create a better future.

This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast is a arts podcast hosted by architect, with 16 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

architect hosts This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast, a arts show with 16 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #16

  This is Cohousing | Ep 16 | Cohousing in the UK: Where It's Been & Where It's Going with Owen Jarvis

  Sep 21, 202644 minS1

  How do you grow a cohousing movement, and what does it take to make it a normal housing choice? Charles Durrett talks with Owen Jarvis, director of the UK Cohousing Network and co-founder of the Community Led Housing Growth Lab, ahead of Chuck's upcoming UK tour through Lancaster, Manchester, Bristol, Oxford, and London. They explore how cohousing has grown in Britain since its first community opened in 2003, and what needs to change for a post-Brexit, post-financial-crash housing landscape. Along the way, they talk about a proposed London School of Economics study on how much senior cohousing could save government, the million-dollar fire truck a Nevada County community didn't have to buy, and why UK landowners and developers are now approaching cohousing groups rather than the other way around. Owen shares how Housing 21 is bringing cohousing to underserved communities through "community coaching," and why the UK's new commonhold law could open the door for hundreds of thousands of people to consider cohousing. Chuck reflects on a study of 80,000 Copenhagen seniors, most of whom chose senior cohousing over every other option, and a Danish community whose mission is to have as much fun in their second 50 years as in their first. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, rate the episode, and share it with someone who'd love to live in a neighborhood where people know, care about, and support one another. #Cohousing #SeniorCohousing #Community #Belonging #Loneliness #AgingWell #IntentionalCommunity For more info visit ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #15

  This is Cohousing | Ep 15 | Reparatory Real Estate & Self-Determined Communal Living with Senait Brown

  Sep 2, 202646 minS1

  In this episode, Chuck sits down with Senait Brown of House of Mkeka, an eight-household intergenerational pocket neighborhood being developed by Black families in Seattle. Senait, a community organizer and single parent, shares how her community chose what they call "self-determined communal living": pooling their collective net worth and pursuing grants, donations, and community resources rather than taking on thirty-year mortgages or accepting the AMI and resale caps of conventional affordable housing.The conversation moves from the practical to the profound. Senait explains their "reparatory real estate" model as a direct response to redlining, foreclosure, and generations of exclusion from the wealth-building tools other Americans took for granted. She and Chuck trade hard-won strategies for finding land in a tight market — from faith-based land initiatives and city surplus sites to the biases that persist even when the money is in hand. In one striking moment, Senait recounts a fully funded land deal that fell through simply because a seller didn't want to see a Black community empowered, and why they refused to put a white face out front to make it easier.They also dig into what makes cohousing actually work: designing decision by decision rather than brick by brick, the pre-development "healing work" that funders overlook, parking and car-free design, and what Senait calls "Afro security" — designing for protection and belonging in light of the community's history. Woven throughout are the principles guiding the project, from Kwanzaa to Ubuntu — "I am because we are" — and Muhammad Ali's two-word poem, "Me, We."A wide-ranging, hopeful conversation about building community as, in Senait's words, an act of revolution. Learn more about House of Mkeka: https://www.houseofmkeka.org/ #Cohousing #SeniorCohousing #Community #Belonging #Loneliness #AgingWell #IntentionalCommunity For more info visit ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #14

  This is Cohousing | Ep 14 | The Antidote to Isolation with Dr. Richard Louis Miller

  Aug 18, 202640 minS1

  What makes us feel like we belong? Psychologist, author, and podcast host Dr. Richard Louis Miller joins Charles Durrett to make the case that connection isn't a luxury — it's a biological need we've engineered out of modern life, and one that cohousing is uniquely built to restore.Dr. Miller traces how architecture, economics, and the pandemic have manufactured isolation and offers small, concrete antidotes anyone can start this week: introduce yourself to a stranger, wave at the four-way stop, make one phone call instead of sending a text. The conversation then turns to seniors, where Dr. Miller argues that "acting your age is dangerous," that aging is fundamentally about maintenance, and that senior cohousing offers a way for people to genuinely come alive again.Charles shares the practical details that make cohousing click — from remarkably affordable internet to sharing a single lawnmower across dozens of households — alongside the deeper story of neighbors who supported one another through their final years at home. Learn more about the Study Group 1 facilitator training (starting October 7): cohousingco.com/products/p/sg1 #Cohousing #SeniorCohousing #Community #Belonging #Loneliness #AgingWell #IntentionalCommunity For more info visit ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #13

  This is Cohousing | Ep 13 | Bridging the Cultural Divide through Cohousing with Alan O'Hashi

  Aug 17, 202630 minS1

  Can cohousing do what so much of American life can't — bring genuinely different people together?In this episode, host Charles Durrett sits down with Alan O'Hashi, a longtime resident of Silver Sage Cohousing in Boulder, Colorado — one of the first senior cohousing communities in the country — and author of Aging Gratefully in Good Company. Charles was the original schematic architect for Silver Sage, and the two reconnect for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about race, belonging, aging, and affordability in community.Alan reflects on a lifetime of collaborative living, from a large extended family to co-op houses to senior cohousing, and on his experience as one of the few people of color in a predominantly white movement — "the raisin in the Silver Sage oatmeal." Drawing on his Japanese American upbringing and his travels to intentional communities in South Africa, he challenges the idea that cohousing is a Western invention and asks what it would look like built by and for the other 98 percent.Together, Charles and Alan dig into why cohousing skews white and affluent, how it might evolve from a social movement into a social norm, the real work of bridging cultural divides, and why affordability comes down to getting organized. Alan also shares the moment cohousing's meaning became undeniable — when neighbors showed up at his door during a health crisis — and what living in community has taught him about elderhood.Whether you're forming a community, living in one, or wondering who cohousing is really for, this conversation offers honest, hard-won insight.If you're interested in living in a sustainable neighborhood where people know each other, care about each other, and support each other, you can find more in the links below — including books like Neuroinclusive Community Design, courses, events, and our newsletter. For more info visit ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #12

  This is Cohousing | Ep 12 | Getting Your Cohousing Community Approved with Marty Maskall

  Jul 28, 202630 minS1

  Hear from the project manager who "project managed a project into existence."In this episode, Charles talks with tenacious project manager, Marty Maskall about what it actually takes to get a cohousing project approved. Together they discuss preparing for the obstacles, the hardships of the zoning process, how to win over the neighbors, the city, and the county. Learn when to fight the bureaucrats and when to punt, and why the group's willingness to keep showing up can make all the difference.They also get into the parts that come after approval — hiring real professionals, moving from an LLC through construction to an HOA at turnover, choosing the right type of cohousing for you.Marty's path into cohousing: facing a hundred neighbors who showed up in opposition; her group had twenty. How she handled the failures and what Marty calls "a lack of political courage on the part of officeholders." Finally what her life is like today, living in a community with thirty homes on three and a half acres that previously held a single household.Her advice, and the line Chuck calls the most important thing said in the episode: "we have far more power than we realize. You don't need to see the whole thing before you take the first step." For more info visit ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.