One of the best ways to describe cohousing is to discuss the goals of people living in cohousing communities.  The residents of these communities selected this type of living arrangement because they believe that knowing and trusting your neighbors is the foundation of a good community. 

Although cohousing communities share some characteristics of homeowner's associations, like monthly dues, community rules and join ownership of some facilities, the two types of housing are very different in terms of day to day operations and in terms of their purpose.  The goal of cohousing associations is to create a very close-knit, interdependent and cooperative community.

Basic characteristics of most cohousing communities:

	A Common House where neighborhood meals are served on a regular basis.
	No attached garages and parking located away from the homes so that people have to walk past their neighbors to get to their house.
	Walkways between houses rather than roads to promote safe areas within the housing areas.
	Decisions that affect the community are made by the group, usually by consensus, which means that everyone must agree.
	Shared chores and community meetings to increase a sense of shared purpose.
	Cohousing groups often cooperate in buying decisions, which can result in many economies of scale and reduction of wasted resources.
	Shared garden tools, books, washing machines, and other items that can easily be used by more than one family.  The extent of sharing varies greatly from one cohousing community to the next.
	Since the need for your own guest room, laundry room and large area for entertaining is generally taken care of by the Common House, individual homes in cohousing communities are often much smaller than traditional homes.

What CoHousing is NOT:

	CoHousing is not a commune and does not involve co-ownership of anything other than the common areas and the common house.
	CoHousing is not an income-sharing organization.  Each family makes and keeps all of their own income just as they would in any traditional neighborhood.
	CoHousing is not a group of people who share any religious or political beliefs.  Most groups make an effort to be as diverse as possible.  The only shared beliefs relate to the design of their shared community.