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Top 10 Reasons to Live in Cohousing
Why do people want to live in cohousing? Karen Gimnig has experienced cohousing as a resident and is professional facilitator who support groups forming and living in cohousing . She is also an author, making her October 11th presentation one you won’t want to miss.
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Picnic in the Park
Socialize in-person with others interested in cohousing at TCCN’s annual picnic held in St. Paul, MN. FREE to attend Wednesday, July 12, 2023 Como Park picnic shelter 6:00-8:00 PM Bring your favorite picnic foods, beverages and utensils for a picnic with Twin Cities Cohousing Network volunteers and other cohousing supporters and share in an evening…
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The Need for Permanent Affordability: Community Land Trusts & Cohousing
Greg Rosenberg’s experience creating cohousing communities and his extensive knowledge of community land trusts (CLTs) offers an exciting approach to creating cohousing communities with permanently affordable housing units.
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What’s up with cohousing in Minnesota?
The Feb. 8 event features updates from groups working to create cohousing communities in Minnesota. Small breakout groups after the updates will allow viewers time to ask questions and engage with each other and our presenters.
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Fall work party and shared meal at Monterey Cohousing Community
More than 20 volunteers completed a wide variety of repairs and other fall projects at Monterey Cohousing Community (MoCoCo) in St. Louis Park on Saturday, October 22. Volunteers included residents of MoCoCo, supporters of Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN), and members of Cedar Cohousing, a group working to create a new cohousing community in the…
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Ann Zabaldo event
Don’t miss hearing from national cohousing professional and enthusiast Ann Zabaldo at TCCN’s next Meet the Professionals event on Zoom. Zabaldo’s tireless efforts and successes are sure to inspire those of us envisioning more Minnesota cohousing communities!
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TCCN picnic report in the news
TCCN’s July 20th summer picnic was attended by local writer John Horchner who wrote about his experience talking with attendees about their interest in creating and living in cohousing communities. His commentary, “Can cohousing solve Twin Cities’ economic inequality,” was published in the September 2020 issue of the Park Bugle, a local newspaper serving a…
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COVID policy adopted 8-11-2022
The board of Twin Cities Cohousing Network adopted a revised COVID policy on August 11, 2022. Please follow the requests below when attending a TCCN event.
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Volunteer Paul Wehrwein featured in StarTribune “Inspired” section.
Committee and member of Twin Cities Metro Senior Cohousing, a cohousing group in formation, was recently featured in the StarTribune’s Inspired section.
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Family-friendly picnic date changed to Wed. July 20
Socialize in-person with others interested in cohousing communities at TCCN’s annual picnic. Originally scheduled for July 27, the date was changed based on the shelter’s availability. FREE to attend Wednesday, July 20, 2022 Como Park picnic shelter #50 6:00-8:00 PM Bring your favorite picnic foods and beverages to picnic with Twin Cities Cohousing Network volunteers…
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TCCN brings you CohoUS resources and benefits
Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN) has partnered with The Cohousing Association of the United States (CohoUS). This partnership offers TCCN’s partnership supporters access to all CohoUS recordings, events, and resources during 2022 with an annual gift of $60 or more. (The Cohousing US individual partnership fee is $150; joining with TCCN is a savings of…
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Grace Kim, renowned cohousing architect to speak
On May 11, Grace Kim will kick off Twin Cities Cohousing Network’s new speaker series, “Meet the Professional” with her talk, “Cohousing: A Short-Term Antidote to Loneliness and Long-Term Retirement Plan” to help us catalyze cohousing in Minnesota. There will be time for Q&A.
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Explore the appeal of cohousing by participating in a story circle.
Register for one or more of the three FREE story circle sessions and engage with others interested in cohousing. Story Circle sessions are offered via Zoom on Thursdays, Mar 24, 31, and Apr 7, 2022 from 7:00-8:30 PM CDT
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Is affordable cohousing possible?
Affordable Cohousing: Challenges and OpportunitiesWednesday, February 9, 20227:00 to 8:30 PM View event recording Followup Resources (PDF) We know there is a huge need for affordable housing in the Twin Cities. And many of us are interested in affordable cohousing units. What strategies should cohousing groups implement to bring down costs? A national cohousing conference last…
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Thank you, Brian PaStarr!
Twin Cities Cohousing Network celebrates Brian PaStarr as his term as his term on Vision Circle has come to an end
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Welcome Lee Pedersen
Twin Cities Cohousing Network is delighted to welcome the new ideas, skills, and enthusiasm that Lee Pedersen brings as a new member of TCCN’s Vision Circle. Lee lives in Duluth, MN, where she actively promotes cohousing by offering community education classes and hosting regular MeetUp groups while seeking others to join in the goal of…
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Thank you donors!
The generous charitable contributions to Twin Cities Cohousing Network received during November’s Give to the Max campaign lifted our spirits and encouraged us to continue to strive for more cohousing in the Twin Cities and all of Minnesota. Our sincere thanks go to each person who made a financial contribution in 2021 in support of…
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Life in cohousing encourages resource sharing
Register to attend Twin Cities Cohousing Network’s final quarterly meeting of 2021 and engage with supporters of cohousing. The topic is resource sharing. Please bring a memory of a time when you shared a resource with others. Participants will also hear from guest Rick Gravrok, a resident of Monterey Cohousing Community, about the way that…
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Enjoy an evening picnicking with cohousing supporters
Bring your favorite picnic foods and beverages to picnic with Twin Cities Cohousing Network volunteers and other cohousing supporters on Wednesday, August 4 from 6-8 PM for an evening of connection and fun in Como Park.
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Save the date: Aug. 4, 2021
Twin Cities Cohousing Network’s Event Circle is planning an in-person event on August 4th, 2021. Meet other cohousing enthusiasts while enjoying a relaxing picnic evening. Families welcome.
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New cohousing groups are forming!
East Metro Area Paul Wehrwein, an cohousing enthusiast who has volunteered with Twin Cities Cohousing Network for a number of years on the Events Circle, is starting the process of creating a senior cohousing community (50+) in the west metro area. Paul and his partner have begun by inviting those people who might be interested…
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To the future and beyond with CoHousing!
Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Zoom, 7:00-8:15 P.M. CDT. FREE registration. Have you heard about the amazing inventions they’re trying out on Mars!? There’s an amazing innovation here on earth, and Trish Becker-Hafnor is going to tell us about it. Join us as we watch, then discuss, Trish’s short, lively TEDx Talk, Cohousing and the Future…
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Do you want to be “Stepping into Cohousing?”
Saturday, February 20, 2021 Zoom conference — 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M CST “Stepping into Cohousing,” is a jam-packed, online mini-conference for the person who wants to be part of forming a cohousing community or is wondering what to look for in choosing an existing community: Developing core values and vision Key steps and processes Common hurdles…
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The transformative impact of intentional Community
Event date: Wed. Nov. 18, 2020 Join others to view a prerecorded webchat discussion with Sky Blue and Avi Kruley on the potential of intentional communities to help transform our world. Humanity is in crisis. The feedback loop between larger society, the communities we live in, and our personal experiences reinforce systems of privilege and…
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Finances and funnies
Wed. Sept. 16, 2020 A window on cohousing sharing and caring, with a bit of pandemic humor Learn how cohousing communities are being affected by COVID-19 and how they are responding to meet new social and financial challenges. Humor is included in the presentation, including a series of one-liners written and delivered by a participant. Register…
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Next event: Save the date!
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 is the date to save for Twin Cities Cohousing Network’s next virtual event. Check back again soon for more details on the topic and how to register.
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Personal Growth: Maybe the Most Important Reason for Cohousing (Aug. 5)
Wednesday, August 5, 20207:00 – 8:30 PM. Free, but advance registration is required. Please register by 6 p.m. on August 4th to receive your link to Zoom. We hope you will gather with us from the safety of your home to learn why personal growth may be the most important reason to choose cohousing. Participants will…
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What’s Up With Tiny Houses!
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 Optional Potluck dinner: 6PM Program: 6:30-8:30 PM. Cost: $8.00 St Frances Cabrini Catholic Church 1500 Franklin Ave SE · Minneapolis, MN (east side of the river) Local organizer Dylan Linet will be speaking on the potential of Tiny Houses to provide low-cost housing communities. He is a member of the Twin…
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Cohousing 101–key benefits, common coho types, local cohousing initiatives
Housing ownership is a key wealth-building strategy for people in America, and everyone seems to be looking for a greater sense of community where they live. Cohousing–condo or townhome communities that are collectively designed, built and managed–is a fairly recent addition to the Twin Cities housing landscape. Learn about local existing and new cohousing initiatives,…
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Affordable cohousing – how we can make it happen (Sept 19, 2019)
Speaker: Barbara Bailey, Partnership for Affordable Cohousing Many people wonder if affordable cohousing is an unreachable ideal. Barbara Bailey, Partnerships for Affordable Cohousing, is coming up from Iowa to talk with us on Sept. 19th about why and how it is feasible. Barbara recently retired from The Housing Fellowship, a non-profit affordable housing developer, where…
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Getting your cohousing story out – May 2 – marketing essentials for early stage group formation
How to Get Your Cohousing Story Out: Skills You Need to Grow Your Group. Panel discussion with workshopping on Thurs., May 2, 2019. Register now. You’ll get practice in the skills presented, and come away with an uplifting elevator speech about your project and phone tips for how to connect with people without pushback. Optional…
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Sociocracy – circles, rounds and consent | Feb. 21
Lynn Englund, local Sociocracy trainer, presents on Thurs., Feb. 21, 2019 the three foundational tools that are part of this common governance system that’s used in some self-managed cohousing communities. These tools are: rounds, circles and the practice of consent in small group decision-making. Informal networking will happen during the potluck that precedes the program.…
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Nov 15 – Cohousing: from dreams to reality…a Madison, WI experience
Sometimes core groups form, but then disband. What distinguishes the groups that make cohousing happen? Here’s one example of a group that is now all moved in. How did they do it? Hear their stories, and bring your questions. Details and registration. Let’s give a warm Minnesota welcome to our three guests from Arboretum Cohousing in…
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September program meeting: Raising Children in Cohousing
Save the date, and plan now to attend our quarterly program meeting on September 20. Our guest panelists will be two parents from Monterey Cohousing. The topic is Raising Children in Cohousing. As the adage says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” How does that work and what does it feel like when…
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May 10 potluck info meeting: Building Community in Different Ways
Register now for the May 10th cohousing info meeting & potluck.
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Potluck + Intro to Cohousing Info Session – March 8th
Register now to attend the next quarterly potluck info session.
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Register now for annual meeting at Gandhi Mahal – Tu Feb 20 at 5:30pm
Ken Fox, a member and resident of Monterey Cohousing, is the featured speaker.
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Passive House and Net-Zero Energy: guest presentation Nov 9
Architect Mark Carsten Anderson will bring us up to speed on the basics of Passive House and Net-Zero Energy high-efficiency energy standards for buildings, and why we might care. Q&A with a builder he’s worked with afterward. Enjoy a potluck supper with others starting at 6 pm. Please register and pay in advance so that…
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Book review of “Tribe”, a deep dive into the foundations of our pull toward community
BOOK REVIEW Tribe: a book on homecoming and belonging by Sebastian Junger When I went to the National Cohousing Conference, held in Nashville in May, I kept hearing the book Tribe being referenced. Now that I have read it, I understand why. There is a reason we and others are so drawn to cohousing. Without…
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Energy Fair information table
Cohousing info table at the MREA Energy Fair in September.
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A visit to a recently completed cohousing community
Through photos, Becca gives us a sense of the building–its exterior and interior spaces–at Portland’s PDX Commons cohousing.
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Next public information meeting: Sept. 14
The next information meeting is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, September 14, 2017. A casual buffet meal, prepared with care by our enthusiastic volunteer kitchen crew, is part of the evening to simulate a cohousing group meal. There will be an ice-breaker activity and information about the basics of cohousing, core group updates, and…
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Midsummer Social on July 20
You’re invited to the Midsummer Social of the Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN) on July 20. TCCN is hosting a casual meal and time for socializing. The kitchen crew will be preparing a cohousing-style, family-friendly buffet meal. Sign up now to attend! It was last summer when a group of local cohousing people re-energized the Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN). Join us…
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Visit to Oakcreek Community senior cohousing in Oklahoma
A TCCN board member and her partner visit a senior cohousing community in a midwestern college town. Take a look at their photos and observations.
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National cohousing conf highlights, dinner, story circles+ on May 25 | Register now!
Several Twin Cities Cohousing Network members are attending the national CohousingUSA conference in Nashville. Come hear them share what they saw and experienced. The kitchen crew will be whipping up a spring meal, and registration is open. You can sign up here if you plan to attend. It helps our team of volunteers when you register and pay in…
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Save the date – May 25th, in the evening
For the next Twin Cities Cohousing Network gathering, our star kitchen crew will cook another group meal, cohousing style. Our meal will again be followed by an update from the local cohousing core groups, other announcements, and then a story circle session at each table. Details and registration will be available soon. Please check back, and…
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Baked-potato bar, story circles, core group updates & more
Registration is now open for the next TCCN evening meal + program that will be occurring March 30th.
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Community + Privacy = Cohousing
Can we disrupt the isolation of modern life with a newer form? The word “cohousing” is translated from the Danish, where these clustered, intentional mini-communities are fairly common (and in fact are encouraged by government policies in Denmark). What defines cohousing? There are some aspects that are bricks-and-mortar: each household owns its own private home–sometimes a…
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Save the date: Thurs., Mar. 30 in the evening
For the next Twin Cities Cohousing Network gathering, our star kitchen crew will cook another group meal, cohousing style. Our meal will again be followed by an update from the local cohousing core groups, other announcements, and then a story circle session at each table. Details and registration will be available soon. Please check back, and…
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Housing density and housing-unit cost
How Much Land is Needed to Develop a Cohousing Community? by Lynn Englund When I first became interested in cohousing, one of the questions I had was: how much land would a cohousing group need to purchase in order to develop their community? I’ve learned that it depends on several factors, including the values and…
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Getting It Built workshop offered by Chuck Durrett, et. al.
When and how does a core group start figuring out the location of their future community? A fast-track local group is forming to bring experienced cohousing architect Chuck Durrett and his associates to the Twin Cities for an intensive weekend-long “Getting It Built” workshop. Anyone who is interested in being involved in creating a cohousing…
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Next community meal + program | Feb. 2nd
For the next Twin Cities Cohousing Network gathering, our star kitchen crew will cook another group meal, cohousing style. Our meal will again be followed by an update from the local cohousing core groups, other announcements, and then a story circle session at each table. For details and to register, click here. Please note that registration…
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Community meal + program Dec. 1st | we cook for you
For the next Twin Cities Cohousing Network gathering, our star kitchen crew has cooked up a menu for a group meal, cohousing style. For details and to register, click here. Please note that payment in advance is strongly encouraged so that the cooks know their budget and how many to plan for. Cost covers food…
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Potluck next step after the Durrett talk
by John Kalmon We had a great turnout for the presentation on cohousing by Charles Durrett, who took us through a verbal tour of many cohousing communities, accompanied by great photos and punctuated with stories that were engaging and enlightening. He described how cohousing improves peoples’ lives by bringing a new level of social connection into their…
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Cohousing community potluck dinner: the next steps
Join us! Individuals, couples and families interested in further exploring cohousing in the greater Twin Cities (MN) area are invited to a potluck dinner and program designed to get to know one another, and to deepen the conversation about community and how we might envision the cohousing place where we’d each feel comfortable and happy.…
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Architect Durrett draws 130 people interested in cohousing
With a stormy night predicted, TCCN volunteers worried that the severe weather might keep away some of the 70+ people who had pre-registered for the Charles Durrett event. The concerns were unfounded. Almost double that number showed up! Two books that Durrett has written were available at the event and sold quickly: Creating Cohousing as well…
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Baby Boomers and GenXers drawn to new planned neighborhoods
Rather than passively concede to limited and isolating housing options designed by large dispassionate organizations, increasing numbers of Baby Boomers and GenXers are banding together to take matters into their own hands. Sept. 15, 2016 event “On a cold winter day, I get home when it’s dark and it’s cold…and the lights are on in…
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Twin Cities Cohousing Network reactivated
As a result of a resurgence of interest in the cohousing model of housing-community development, the Twin Cities Cohousing Network was reactivated in July 2016. To be informed of upcoming events, sign up for our e-newsletter.
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Chuck Durrett | Sept. 15, 2016 – registration is open
Join us in welcoming acclaimed cohousing architect and author Chuck Durrett to the Twin Cities on Thurs., Sept. 15, 2016 at 7 pm. Register now (sliding scale $10-$20) – space is limited.