This is Cohousing: The Cohousing Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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.

In this episode of the podcast, Charles Durrett sits down with architect, researcher, and community development expert Nazin Bagherynejad to explore how housing design can dramatically influence social well-being—especially in affordable senior housing.

Drawing from her PhD research comparing two very different housing models, Nazin examines the contrast between conventional subsidized housing and Valley View Senior Homes, a nonprofit community inspired by cohousing principles. Through observation, interviews, and design analysis, she reveals how small architectural decisions—porches, pathways, common spaces, transparency, and resident participation—can transform a housing project from an isolating apartment complex into a vibrant, supportive neighborhood.

Charles and Nazin also discuss why resident involvement in design is so often overlooked in nonprofit housing, despite evidence that it improves outcomes, strengthens community ownership, and can even reduce long-term management costs.

The conversation expands beyond architecture to policy, exploring how interdisciplinary thinking, community participation, and better design practices could reshape the future of affordable housing for older adults.

If housing is more than just shelter, what does it take to design places where people truly belong?

This episode offers insights for architects, planners, policymakers, and anyone interested in building healthier, more connected communities.

Mentioned in this episode:

A Solution to Homelessness in Your Town by Charles Durrett, AIA

Nazin’s dissertation

Tinggården

Planning and Managing Housing for the Elderly by M. P. Lawton

For more info visit www.cohousingco.com or our linktr.ee

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What does it take to build a cohousing community from scratch?

In this episode of This is Cohousing, we talk with Patricia Darlington, one of the founders of Oakcreek Community in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Pat shares the personal story that first led her to discover cohousing and how that discovery turned into a real neighborhood built by ordinary people with a shared vision.

We explore the early steps of starting a cohousing group, forming an LLC, finding land, working through zoning challenges, and building a community designed for connection, independence, and aging well.

Pat also reflects on what it’s like to live in cohousing after more than a decade: how intentional design shapes daily life, why interdependence matters more than independence, and how community can support people through all stages of life, including aging and end-of-life care.

If you’ve ever wondered how cohousing communities get started or why more people are seeking alternatives to living alone—this conversation offers an inside look at the process and the philosophy behind it.

Learn more about Pat's community at www.oakcreekstillwater.com

or Oakcreek's Newsletter

Books mentioned:

The Senior Cohousing Handbook

Cohousing Communities

For more info visit ⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠ or https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo

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In this episode, we explore a bold rethinking of the modern campus—moving from isolated, car-dominated environments to vibrant, community-centered villages.

What if campuses weren’t just places people pass through, but places they truly belong? What if housing, social life, and daily needs were woven together into a walkable, intergenerational fabric?

Drawing from real projects and decades of experience in cohousing and community design, this conversation dives into how underutilized land—like parking lots and peripheral campus edges—can be transformed into thriving neighborhoods. We discuss the power of design to foster connection, the role of shared spaces in everyday life, and why the future of housing may look a lot more like a village than a development.

Whether you're an architect, planner, developer, or simply interested in the future of community living, this episode offers a compelling vision for how we can build places that bring people together.

Learn more about Campus Communities and their UFV project by visiting www.campuscommunities.ca

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In this episode of the cohousing podcast, Charles Durrett sits down with Alan Carpenter, co-creator and co-director of the Canadian Cohousing Network. Together they explore the evolution and impact of cohousing in Canada and beyond.

Alan shares his personal journey from building single-family homes to dedicating his life to creating intentional communities—sparked by a desire for deeper connection and a more meaningful way of living. Together, they discuss the origins and growth of the Canadian Cohousing Network, the success of communities like Windsong Cohousing, and what makes these neighborhoods thrive.

The conversation dives into the real-life benefits of cohousing—affordability, shared resources, reduced isolation, and stronger social bonds across generations. From children freely playing outdoors to seniors aging in place with support, cohousing offers a compelling alternative to the isolation often found in modern living.

They also tackle bigger questions:

Why is connection so essential to human well-being?

What cultural barriers make cohousing harder to adopt in North America?

How can we design communities that foster cooperation, joy, and resilience?

Whether you're curious about intentional communities, interested in sustainable housing models, or simply looking for a more connected way to live, this episode offers thoughtful insights and inspiring stories from decades of experience.

Learn more about The Canadian Cohousing Network at https://cohousing.ca/

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In this episode, Charles Durrett sits down with Margaret Roesch, co-founder of Village Hearth Cohousing in Durham, North Carolina—the first LGBTQ+ cohousing community in the United States.What began as a response to the fear of isolation in later life became a bold, community-driven journey in living differently. Margaret shares how she and her partner Pat McAulay helped bring Village Hearth to life from the ground up—without prior development experience—and why they chose to create a 55+ community where queer elders could live openly, safely, and in connection with others.Together, they explore how intentional design shapes human relationships, from front doors placed just 30 feet apart to shared spaces that foster daily interaction. The conversation dives into the realities of building community—from navigating uncertainty and collective decision-making to moving in during COVID and weathering unexpected challenges along the way. More than just a housing model, Village Hearth reveals what’s possible when people prioritize connection over isolation. Margaret reflects on how cohousing has changed her life—supporting independence, encouraging personal growth, and creating a culture of mutual care, from shared meals to systems of helping hands.This episode is about more than cohousing. It’s about aging with intention, designing for belonging, and rethinking what it means to live well—together.

Learn more about Village Hearth by visiting https://www.villagehearthcohousing.com/

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What happens to adults with autism when their parents can no longer care for them? It's one of the most urgent and overlooked housing crises of our time — and intentional community may be one of the most powerful answers. In this episode, host Charles Durrett sits down with Desiree Kameka Galloway, Director of the Autism Housing Network and lead consultant for neuro-inclusive housing solutions. Having visited over 120 residential opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 12+ U.S. metropolitan areas, Desiree brings rare, research-backed insight into what's missing — and what's possible. Together, Charles and Desiree explore: Why over 1 million adults with autism currently live with a caregiver over the age of 60 — and what happens nextHow cohousing provides the natural support systems that reduce isolation, prevent abuse, and lower Medicaid costs. The critical difference between neuro-inclusive community and institutionalization — and why policymakers still confuse the twoWhat families and self-advocates should do right now to plan proactively (legal, financial, and community-building steps)Practical tools like communication badges, neuro-affirming design principles, and how existing cohousing communities can welcome neurodivergent neighborsThe inspiring example of Solheimar, Iceland — where 45 neurodiverse and 45 neurotypical residents thrive together well into old ageWhy Canada may be where the first North American Solheimar-style community takes rootAs Desiree puts it: "When people find the right housing and support system, they thrive. Don't let fear paralyze you."Whether you're a parent, self-advocate, housing developer, or simply someone who knows someone with autism — this conversation will change how you think about community, belonging, and what inclusive living can look like.Resources mentioned:🌐 Autism Housing Network — autismhousingnetwork.org📖 Neuro-Inclusive Community Design by Charles Durrett📖 A Place in the World — free at the Autism Housing Network🌐 The Cohousing Company — cohousingco.com🌐 National Cohousing Alliance — cohousingalliance.org

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Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What if the secret to a thriving neighborhood was as simple as sharing a meal? In this episode, Charles sits down with Vesanto Melina — registered dietitian, author of over 15 books, and resident of Vancouver Cohousing — to explore how common meals bring cohousing communities to life.From signup spreadsheets and cooking trios to rooftop gardens and $5 dinners, Vesanto and Charles dig into the practical and the profound: how shared cooking builds trust, how plant-based eating can work at scale, and why showing up to dinner on time might matter more than you think.Vesanto also shares her expertise on nourishing community meals — covering protein, vitamin D, accommodating dietary needs, and why moving toward plant-based eating is good for both people and the planet.Whether you live in cohousing or are simply curious about a more connected way of life, this conversation will leave you hungry for community — and maybe dinner.Resources mentioned:Vesanto's website: nutrispeak.comPlant-Powered Protein: plantpoweredprotein.com

Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Quimper Village is about as elegant as the cohousing process gets. In this episode, host Charles Durrett sits down with founding members Carolyn and Jack Salmon to unpack how their senior cohousing community on Washington's Olympic Peninsula went from a church meeting to a finished neighborhood with 28 homes in just three years.They talk about getting out of denial about aging, the "no green bananas" urgency that kept the group moving, why they completed Study Group One twice, and the record-setting site design workshop that produced twelve viable plans. Carolyn and Jack also share the philosophy that anchored everything — "you're buying a community, and a nice house comes with it" — and explain why hiring the right project manager (and keeping group members out of that role) made all the difference.Whether you're forming a community, designing one, or just curious how cohousing actually comes together, this conversation is full of hard-won, practical wisdom.📚 Resources mentioned in this episode:State of the Art Cohousing: Lessons Learned from Quimper Village by Alexandria Levitt & Charles DurrettCohousing Communities: Designing for High-Functioning Neighborhoods by Charles Durrett

For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , quimpervillage.com or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What can a philosophy professor teach us after two decades of living in community? In this episode of This Is Cohousing, Charles Durrett sits down with Carl Hall — resident of Nevada City Cohousing and professor of philosophy for 34 years.Carl reflects on the journey of how an avowed introvert came to find social heaven among 34 households, why cooperation deserves the benefit of the doubt, and how cohousing offers a sanctuary from what he sees as a growing culture of separation. Building on ideas developed by philosophers throughout history, and a lifetime of teaching, Carl and Charles explore belonging, the art of listening, and aging with purpose. Together they solve the simple cohousing math where one plus one equals three.For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cohousingco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠nccoho.org or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/CohousingCo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Bossa Antigua Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/