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Catch up on our story

Reflections on freedom

6/30/2022

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We asked members to share their thoughts on freedom in proximity to Juneteenth and July Fourth. Many acknowledged the effect that the challenging news cycle had on their reflections. Below are their responses.

“When asked to share my thoughts on freedom, the first thing that came to mind was the lyric, ‘Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.’ Googling this lyric took me down a rabbit hole learning about Kris Kristofferson, Janis Joplin and free love in the 60s. That made me feel cynical and unpatriotic as if freedom isn’t valuable, so I decided to try again later.
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“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” (Emma Lazarus, poem excerpt inscribed at base of Statue of Liberty.) 
Then we got the news that the SCOTUS decided all my fellow citizens should be free to hide a gun in their pocket, not a freedom that I embrace. I found myself beginning to wonder if freedom might be over-rated. I questioned whether that sentiment would go over well with my new neighbors, so I decided to try again later.

The next day, I ran across following quote while reading Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, The Book of Joy, about the Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu: ‘Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space, lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and happiness.’ I love this idea that as long as I have some cognitive control, I can think whatever I want. While this conception has personal appeal, it also made me feel privileged and oblivious to the stifling oppression that folks around the world face. So, I decided to try again later.
 
And, today, as I got the email that the freedom remarks are due tomorrow, I found myself overwhelmed by the outpouring of rage on social media about the loss of reproductive freedom for so many women in America. I was reminded that it’s easy to take our freedoms for granted, so I decided to write something.
 
So, my thoughts on freedom do not cohere into a pithy newsletter contribution, rather, I am as perplexed as ever about freedom. Is it a state of mind or a state of being? Can we have too much of it? And perhaps, most relevant to Washington Commons, when does my neighbor’s freedom impinge on my well-being?” 
- Becki

 
“Your request brought to mind a cheerful song I often sing while ‘cat dancing.’ You need a cooperative cat who will let you hold him and dance around the room, at least for a minute or two. The song is ‘Free A Little Bird,’ and you can hear it on YouTube.” - Fran
 
“Freedom for me this 4th of July, is being able to lightly salt my salad one year after my heart attack (July 2, 2021).” - Patrick

 
“Thich Nhat Hahn’s gatha  ‘Breathing in, I am home - Breathing out, I am free’ defines freedom for me. May all beings, visible and invisible, past, present and future be intimate with their breath. May they be home, be free…” - Sandra
 
“‘Freedom! Freedom! Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, I'm almost gone, a long, long way from home. When I need my mother or my brother, I can telegraph them from my heart. Freedom! Freedom!’ (Richie Havens, Freedom [Motherless Child]).
 
I'm dating myself with lyrics from Richie Havens. (No, I wasn't at Woodstock in August 1969. A story for another time.)”
- Stu P
 
“‘It’s about freedom,’ I said. I was one of many speakers testifying in support of access to sidewalks by people with disabilities. The speaker before me noted our city council’s diverse makeup. She said to them, ‘Many of you wouldn’t be here if people hadn’t demonstrated for civil rights.’

Her statement brought tears to my eyes and the realization that the issue was about freedom — and fighting for freedom. Freedom to move about unhindered by obstacles. Freedom to go where you want to go... on foot or in a wheelchair. Freedom deserved by all.”
- Anne
 
“‘Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose,’ (Kris Kristofferson, Me and Bobby McGee).
 
‘And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor,’ (Declaration of Independence, 1776).
 
‘Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here,’ said Captain Parker, to those first farmers attempting to secure their rights. Engraved on the Minuteman Monument in the Lexington MA green where the first shots were heard.”
- Tom
 
“As we approach this July 4th, I must say I am worried for this noble experiment that is America. We seem to be hanging by a thread, deeply divided, fearful of the 'other', and confused over facts and 'alternate facts.'  In looking for a quote on freedom for this time, I found the following one by Aung San Suu Kyi's particularly poignant:
 
‘The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is the freedom from fear.’”
- Barbara

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Sacramento Tower Bridge lit up with fireworks.
“I value not only freedom of religion, but from religion. There’s lots more I value, including the freedom of women in our country to control their own bodies, health and destinies, freedom of movement and the freedom to be in our remaining unspoiled natural spaces.” - Chris H.
 
“This is a timely and thought-provoking subject. If not already taken, I would like to list this quote from Herbert Hoover as my reflection on freedom: ‘Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity.’” - Carol
 
“Freedom to choose to live with people who are like-minded, caring, and who are committed to making our community and world a better place.” - Lisa
 
“Today, I must remind myself of the lessons from history about the courage and perseverance of those who fought against injustice, corrupt power, genocide, greed and countless atrocities toward humankind.  To this end, today, I am inspired by the following quotes, both by Gandhi:
 
‘It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.’
‘The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.’” 
- Durriyah
 
“Talking with friends this morning, we can't feel as free as we did with Roe V. Wade in place. Could say more, but that's it for now.” - Willa

“Disney Plus first made the live recording of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway rap musical, Hamilton available on July 3, 2020. This deliciously irreverent version of our founding story (America’s) was a wonderful way to celebrate the Fourth just one month into our journey with our cohousing community, Washington Commons. I see parallels. We both have a vision statement based on universal/not nationalistic values, we cherish freedom, justice and equality, we prize diversity and want all voices to be heard. We are willing to commit and sacrifice to achieve our goal.
 
‘Immigrants, we get the job done!’ (Hamilton, 2015).
 
‘I’m just like my country. I’m young, scrappy and hungry,’ (Hamilton, 2015).
 
‘A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people,’ (Declaration of Independence, 1776).” 
- Lenore
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Building Community: No Permit Required

5/18/2022

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Laughing yoga loosens body and mind at SuperWeekend.
​Washington Commons has turned its attention to building community; creating the culture we want and deepening relationships with one another and the larger community we are joining. No permit required.  
 
To this end, on May 13-15 WCC members from near and far gathered in person and via Zoom for a second SuperWeekend event. The weekend was devoted to 3 essential aspects of healthy relationships: 1) Effective Project Management, 2) Community Glue, 3) Good Process and Communication Skills. We kicked off Friday evening with a shared meal at our favorite local eatery, The TreeHouse Cafe. We would learn on Sunday that food is the #1 way of attending to 'Community Glue.’
 
Saturday morning, members were treated to a workshop with Danny Milman (Construction Project Manager) on options, upgrades and status of construction. We then topped off our "pot of good feelings" with lunch at Midway Bar, followed by some Non-Violent Communication (NVC) in the form of Laughing Yoga, led by member Durriyah. After laughter, a walk in the riparian woods along the Sacramento River north of our community led by Anne included some litter removal in support of SPIU (Sacramento Picks It Up).
 
Having worked up an appetite, members topped off the "pot" again at Burgers and Brew and joined in another neighborhood activity; Second Saturday Sacramento. Transit to and from activities was arranged by member, Jenny. As a long-time resident of West Sacramento and Sacramento, Jenny gave us the inside scoop on where to eat and what to do.
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On Sunday the SuperWeekend continued as a hybrid in-person/Zoom event. Two workshops were facilitated by Sarah Arthurs of Prairie Sky CoHousing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She introduced Diana Leafe Christian's three aspects of healthy relationships as a framework for thinking about the culture and governance of the community we are creating.  We explored these aspects with our future neighbors in breakout rooms.  We examined the governance and project management we have in our established committees, and did a bit of team building within those teams by coming up with a motto or team song. One break-out room came up with the slogan for how we've accomplished so much already, "Hanging In, Hanging Loose, and Hanging Out." It was cheered by all.

Break snacks were provided by Allyce and Frances between workshops, and a catered lunch was served at the spacious West Sacramento Community Center after the workshops. The weekend concluded with our General Meeting. It was a full weekend, rich in shared enjoyable activities, which we learned creates oxytocin — the hormone that produces feelings of trust and gratitude. And that’s the ‘Glue’ to building community.
 
The SuperWeekend was brilliantly planned and organized by the talented SuperWeekend team of Rachel, Jenny, Cathy, and Evelyn. Thank you all.
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Building Bridges and Finding Allies with Local Government Stakeholders

4/13/2022

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​The challenges of cohousing development are not without rewards from unexpected places and actors. In Washington Commons’ recent effort at West Sacramento’s City Council, supporters of our project ranged from the Chamber of Commerce to the representatives of local tribes.
​At issue were “impact fees,” a strategy used by local governments in California to pay for improvements associated with development, such as parks, road improvements, affordable housing, childcare and transportation alternatives. Such fees may be seen as a method to induce developers to pay for the costs of growth. The difference with our cohousing project is that future residents are developers too (with plenty of help from qualified professionals).

We started with a project designed to meet the best principles of residential development. Testimony from stakeholders and comments from Council members made the case for cohousing: higher density urban infill; residents invested in their community; walkable, bikeable, transit friendly development; market rate multifamily sustainable housing. One council member argued, as good neighbors, cohousing would make it easier to advocate for nonprofit housing developers (such as Jamboree and Mercy Housing) to build affordable housing in the future.

Tribe representatives expressed legitimate concerns about gentrification, where urban infill puts existing neighborhoods at risk. Because of a history of urban growth, when tribe representatives had been ignored and repeatedly undercounted, they came to advocate for a new, long overdue swimming pool in their neighborhood. They spoke against dividing the town between north (have nots) and south (haves). Tribe representatives recognized the importance of supporting business and technology if it meant jobs with living wages, and benefits and advocated for equity in the use of impact fees, to pay the real cost of housing. They reminded the Council that the riverine section, now called the Washington District, was once used by indigenous peoples. No doubt ancestral remains would be found there.

City staff supported us by doing their homework on this somewhat controversial issue. They had data comparing impact fees for different jurisdictions and recognized that infill development would not happen if fees (especially added to costs of construction) were prohibitive. 

In the end, it was a challenge from one of the elders who said, “how about some co-housing for us?” (The city council hears but did not reply to the public comment.)
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Meet Our Newest Members

4/6/2022

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FRANCES & ALLYCE
with Nemo & Elizabeth Warren
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We, Frances and Allyce, have been together since 1993 and have been legally married since 2013.  We both come from other parts of the U.S., but we have lived in Northern California for more than 35 years and consider ourselves Californians by adoption. 
 
Allyce is an attorney who spent more than 40 years representing workers and currently is a semi-retired attorney for Cal/OSHA. 
 
Frances spent 12 years as an aviation electrician, and in security and intelligence work for the U.S. Navy.  She subsequently worked in various electrical, computer, and managerial positions.  Frances is currently on VA and Social Security disability. 
 
Both of us are very involved in “tikkun olam” (“repairing the world” in Hebrew).  Frances is an active participant on our temple’s Board and its Disabled Access and Safety and Security committees.  She is also very involved with activities at the Oakland Veterans’ Center.   
 
Allyce founded and runs a weekly evening food pantry with temple volunteers at a Christian social service agency and has been involved in other interfaith community service projects.   
 
We both like working on projects with other people, as well as biking, traveling, cooking, and trying new foods.  The real team spirit at Washington Commons, as well as its location in a super-bike-friendly city, is what drew us to WCC and we’re really looking forward to moving in.  
 
Welcome, Frances & Allyce! 
We are so happy you have joined our Cohousing family!
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Meet Our Newest Members

1/11/2022

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The new members featured this month have deep roots in California. Evelyn traded New York City for California in her 20's and never looked back. She and her late husband were educated and raised their 3 daughters in the Sacramento valley. Evelyn still lives in the West Sacramento home they moved to 34 years ago. JoAnn is a second generation Californian who knew nothing about Cohousing when she heard about Washington Commons on CAPRadio in November, just 2 months ago! Read their own fun and interesting accounts of their journey to Cohousing below.
 
Welcome, Evelyn and JoAnn!  We are excited to be building community together!
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MEET JOANN
A second-generation Californian from the Los Angeles area, JoAnn moved to Sutter Creek with her late husband 30 years ago. Now she’s eager to uproot for transplanting to Sacramento, long a focus for her writing about women’s participation in gold-rush history. She claims to easily visualize Old Sac’s early days, teeming with emigrants from around the world making a new home in a new place.
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JoAnn, knowing nothing about cohousing, captured in her journal the day she learned about Washington Commons: 
Tues., Nov. 9:
Kept hearing a sponsor on CapRadio is Washington Commons. Had no idea what that was, so Googled it. Spent the day imagining the consequences of this unexpected discovery…. Solves all my concerns about cat sitters (several ‘members’ have cats); travel access (walk to Amtrak, bus to airport); and isolation (built-in community with the advantage of aging among peers seeing after one another). Great location near the river, Old Sac, the Crocker, theatre and restaurants.
​No downside.


Wed., Nov. 10:
Called Shelly….
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Thurs., Nov. 11: 
Shelly emailed files on unit plans. I’ll write a check as soon as they let me.
“I knew instantly,” JoAnn says. “I sense a kind of foresight and certainty for a decision when it’s absolutely right for me. And I couldn’t be more excited to be part of a new community making a new home together in a new place, just like the gold rushers.”
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MEET EVELYN
I love the idea of promoting peace through community involvement and have been a member of many communities during my life. Washington Commons is my next adventure in a new community.

When my late husband and I were raising our three daughters while attending college, we lived in married student housing at CSU, Sacramento. It was my first exposure to a shared living experience where each family had their own apartment and we shared caring for children, potluck meals, athletic activities, and supporting each other as we pursued our educational goals. We were born and raised in New York City and this was a very different way of living. We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to achieve an affordable education in a supportive community.

After 10 years as a part time student I achieved a BS and MBA with emphasis on general management.  My career goal was to create organization culture, policies, and practices bringing fairness and equity to the workplace. As an educator, management advisor and employee advocate, I facilitated bridging the divide between employees and management in developing the skills, knowledge and experience needed to create a cooperative partnership leading to successful performance.

My community involvement has included being a member of Community Advisory Boards including UC Davis Health System, CSUS College of Business, Saint Francis Parish Council, Francis House and other organizations related to health, education and families.

I was a member of US Servas, a non-profit organization affiliated with Servas International that originated in Denmark in 1949. The mission is to promote peace and understanding one friendship at a time. Becoming a traveler and host in the international community, I have had many wonderful home-stays with Servas hosts and have had visitors from around the world stay in my home.

​My three daughters, three grandchildren, extended family and friends are the center of my life. Traveling, Renaissance Society, home design projects, gardening, singing, hiking and sharing life’s adventures all contribute to the harmony and peace I aspire to in this “Elderberry” stage of my life.  
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Meet Our Newest Members

1/10/2022

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The new members featured in December both hail from California, one currently living in the east bay, and the other right here in Sacramento. Both were drawn to Cohousing because it represents a collaborative type of community that creates connection with their neighbors while keeping them in close proximity to family, friends, and work. We are excited and committed to doing the sometimes messy work of building community together.
 
Welcome, Jenny and Chris!  We are so happy you have joined our Cohousing family!

Meet Jenny

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I was born and raised in Sacramento, CA. I moved to West Sacramento in 2017. I love the community of West Sacramento. Everything is so close. I can be in downtown Sacramento in 5 mins. My friends and family are close by. I was having lunch at the Tree House Cafe when I came across the flyer for Washington Commons. Instantly I was drawn to the project. I was looking for a condo in the area. I was looking for a sense of community similar to the community that I had growing up. Every one of my future neighbors has reached out to me.  I can't wait to move in!!

​I love to travel. My dream is to visit six out of 7 continents. I am an amateur photographer and love to go to concerts.  


Meet Chris

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Hi! I’m Chris, and I’m in the last year of my sixties. A retired Civil Engineer, I split my State service between Water Quality and Transportation, both in Sacramento and Humboldt County on the North Coast. I’m a proud mother of Aleks, who I adopted from Russia when he was a young toddler. He’s now 28 and has followed in the family footsteps of public service, living and working in midtown Sacramento.

Currently I live in Walnut Creek and am helping my elderly mother, who just turned 95. She’s doing pretty well right now, on balance.
I enjoy walking, the great outdoors, biking, reading, knitting, sewing, traveling, connections with family and friends, discussing current events and laughing whenever possible!
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Cohousing to me means connection to others with mutual respect, sharing time and some meals together, and working things out so that all community members’ needs are met. I was drawn to Washington Commons because of its wonderful location, sustainable philosophy and practice, and my intention to stay active and engaged with others while still having ownership of a nice and cozy private dwelling.

And even if I had just remained an Explorer, it meant the chance to make meaningful friendships.
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WE BROKE GROUND!! PART II

12/7/2021

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“A profound feeling of joy came over me as we came together to break ground and celebrate.”
- ​Anne G
​Anne and other members reflect upon Breaking Ground, the long-awaited milestone we celebrated with ceremony on November 19, 2021. All but 4 member households were represented with at least one family member at the ceremony. 
 
Not surprising at a ground-breaking ceremony, many members’ most vivid recollection of the day was the presence of the backhoe.  Apparently, the fascination with earth-moving equipment never grows old and is NOT limited to little boys!
"New beginnings-from the ground up."
- Evelyn
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"About 30 minutes before start time, a semi with a flat-bed trailer with a backhoe on it came down G Street.  He unloaded it--I thought it was just part of the ongoing work. Then the backhoe was positioned behind the stage---a perfect photo op!!  It was not until the celebration was over and the backhoe was reloaded on the flat-bed trailer that I realized it had all been planned by Harrison Construction.  What a great way to acknowledge the Ground Breaking of Washington Commons.” 
- Jae 
​​“The machine operator from Harrison Construction drove the backhoe onto the lot and executed a few playful spins of the digging bucket before plunging the bucket into the earth to remove a scoop of dirt, symbolizing (or quite literally) breaking ground. The machine operator and the machine itself seemed as happy and excited as all of us gathered here on this momentous, long-awaited occasion.”
- Carol S.
​Members gather before the event, is that fog or rain threatening? Shovels are ready, excitement is palpable. The fog lifts and blue skies emerge.  Racheli and Zvi were in Tel Aviv on the big day, but Rachel’s son showed up and shared the ceremony with them via WhatsApp. ​
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“Yes…my darling son was there and showed me the ceremony via WhatsApp.  It was exciting…”
​ — Rachel
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​“With many thanks. The groundbreaking was one of the most exciting events ever in my book!”  
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– Carol S.
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“I remember arriving at the event kind of keyed up because it was threatening rain, and also, because the event had been planned before we knew it was ‘real’. Once I saw the porta-potties, I was convinced it was actually happening, and I felt quite relieved. The weather was fine, too.”  
- Fran

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Member Scott Walker, always nimble on his feet, MC’d the ceremony with aplomb. For those present the Land Acknowledgment was a significant event. Sandra Lee who helped plan the groundbreaking explains:
 
“The Land Acknowledgment was given to us by Charlie Toledo, a Native American woman, who stipulated: 1). That it be read by a Native American 2). That the Native American who presented it give her/his background/credentials as a Native American. Charlie communicated with Lisa before the ceremony, instructing her to put the feather 🪶 on the ground and have a ‘lit candle’ present. These may seem like minor points but profoundly significant to Lisa and Charlie.”


​“Without Lisa, we would not have had a Land Acknowledgment for our groundbreaking ceremony.”
- Sandra Lee
“It was a magical day from reading the land acknowledgment, to climbing on a tractor, and celebrating in person with fellow members.”
​- Lisa
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“The connection and joy were palpable on this great day!  Two things that stood out among many touching moments was the wonderful First People’s Grounding and Recognition Ceremony, and Katie and Anne’s talks.”
- Chris H

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“When Mayor Pro Tem Ledesma gave his speech warmly welcoming our cohousing community into the heart of the greater community of West Sacramento, I felt such a sense of pride and inclusion as well as a sense of commitment to the surrounding community we would soon call home. I feel certain that we will indeed fit in and be an active and sustaining force in the community at large.” 
​ - Carol S
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Bouquet from community to Anne symbolizing our profound gratitude for her vision, devotion, and dedication to creating Washington Commons.
​The backhoe is a very fitting backdrop for these 2 women, each a force of nature in her own right. Anne Geraghty, the prime mover for the creation of Washington Commons on the left, introduced by Katie McCamant, the prime mover for CoHousing in the US.  After acknowledging a long list of visionaries and supporters, Anne and the rest of the membership grabbed their shovels and received a hard-hat courtesy of Danny Milman of UD+P. So equipped, we assembled for the actual breaking of ground!
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“We are planting our building on fertile ground that was a pleasure to dig in. While I regret we can't move all that beautiful dirt to someplace where we could grow some food, I find it fitting that our community will be rooted in a blessed place. I look forward to growing with my new neighbors.” 
 -  Becki
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"The ground breaking was rewarding and very hopeful for us. It was great to see so many members in person." 
​- Janet and Stu W
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​“The ground breaking ceremony was a great opportunity to see everyone in three dimensions and the green grass on the site was very cheerful.  Literally a green field project.”
- Tom
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​“It was a magical day from reading the land acknowledgment, to climbing on a tractor, and celebrating in person with fellow members.
“I wanted to slow time down to savor every moment since we worked so hard to get there, and I knew this would be the one and only groundbreaking experience I’d have in my lifetime.”  
- Lisa 


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                 Lisa and Scott share a moment while Scott readies the champagne.
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​"There was really great energy at the event, and I am glad Anne got to spray some champagne!"
- Scott

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After many photo ops and much digging with shovels, a different celebration was in order. Following the spraying of champagne, groundbreakers went next door to our favorite eatery, The Treehouse Café, and feasted on the abundance they had set out for our event.
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“As to the groundbreaking, it was a long time coming, but we made it.  It was amazing to see what a determined and committed community can do.  And we really ARE now a community.  It was such a happy and thrilling event.  I'm looking forward to January when the ground will start to move!"
- Polly C
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WE BROKE GROUND! (11/19/2021)

12/1/2021

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What a day we had!
We were excited -- to see each other in person -- after all of these pandemic months and years. Members came from as far away as New Hampshire, Arizona, and the Bay Area.  We were together celebrating this special day. 
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Scott did a fabulous job kicking off the ground breaking as the group's announcer for the day. We're lucky to have a natural, dynamic speaker in our community. 
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Our celebration began with a Welcome - Daa-nu’-yash -- from Lisa Walker, Washington Commons member and descendent of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon.  She directed our attention to our feet, had us become in touch with the land, and imagine all the indigenous peoples that have stood here before us.  She acknowledged that we gathered on the ancestral and unceded land of the Patwin, Maidu and Wintu Peoples past and present.  She read a Land Acknowledgement created by Charlie Toledo, Founder and Director of the Suscol Intertribal Council of the Napa Valley.  This acknowledgement sets the foundation for our community in the larger context of this place reflecting on how we came to be here and inspires us to live in solidarity, equity and justice with the Patwin, Maidu and Wintu Peoples. 

“With open hearts, respect and gratitude to the all the ancestors, indigenous land stewards, and all those who are helping us to build our new village upon this land, shu’ nuu-xwanin-la, in the language of the Siletz Tribe – We Thank You.”
 
Chris Ledesma, Mayor Pro Tem, spoke about what we are creating and how it embodies the City's vision for housing variety that meets the diverse needs of the community.  He pledged the City's commitment to continue its work to create a vital urban center in what he called the "soul of West Sacramento"... the Washington District.  We are thrilled to be a part of the dynamic community that is West Sacramento.
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Our mentor and consultant, Katie McCamant, spoke eloquently about our journey to create this first cohousing community in West Sacramento and about the vision of our founder Anne Geraghty. Anne noted “We’ve had many setbacks and delays over the years but each one has strengthened our resolve and our confidence in succeeding."

AND WE BROKE GROUND!!
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On November 19th we had commitments for 27 units - the magical 3/4 reservation that we have been shooting for in order to get our construction loan from Five Star Bank. On Friday our latest member joined with her down payment check in hand, becoming the 28th. Welcome JoAnn Levy.  We are over the top!
A friend remarked on the palpable feelings of joy, love and caring of all the people that were there - both those who are the members as well as the many supporters. It was a special day.

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We couldn't have done it without our professional team. We give thanks for our amazing development team that brought us to this day:
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OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM
KatieMcCamant, CoHousing Solutions, https://www.cohousing-solutions.com/
Danny Milman & Joren Bass, UD+P  https://www.udplp.com/
Steve & Pam Harrison, Harrison Construction, https://www.harrisoncon.com/
Shelly Parks, CoVision Consulting, https://www.covisionconsulting.com/
Mahlum Architects, https://www.mahlum.com/
MFA Architecture, http://www.mf-arc.net/
McProud & Associates, https://mcproudassociates.com
Harris & Sloan, https://harrisandsloan.com/
Turley & Associates, http://turleymech.com/
Peabody Engineering, https://www.peabodyeng.com/
Bollard Acoustical, https://bacnoise.com/
Miller Starr Regalia, https://www.msrlegal.com/
Placer Title, https://www.placertitle.com/
And soon….. Five Star Bank, https://www.fivestarbank.com/

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Meet Our Newest Members

11/2/2021

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​The new members featured this month all have ties to California and were drawn to Washington Commons' urban Cohousing setting. Friends, family, education, work, and play are the forces that attracted, kept or are returning them to Northern California and the Sacramento Valley. We are excited to be building community with you and look forward to working and playing together in what we create. 
 
Welcome, Barbara, Leonard, & Pat!  We are so happy you have joined our Cohousing family!

Meet Barbara

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Trained as a violinist, I played in orchestras in Georgia and Italy. Forced to hang up my fiddle because of injury, I retrained and became a programmer. In 2001, I entered the world of teaching elementary students, loving their energy and curiosity. I retired in 2019 because of Covid. I am adjusting to retirement, a wonderful stage of life! I am in two book clubs, and enjoy attending theater, museums, and concerts with friends. I also play online games. Riding a trike has become a joyful habit, along with walking, meditation, and yoga.
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I have been investigating cohousing for several years. To me, cohousing offers the perfect balance of privacy and community. This year I considered joining cohousing communities in Skagit and in Puyallup (WA), but neither felt just right. I decided I wanted to be closer to family and friends in the SF Bay Area. Discovering Washington Commons was very timely for me. The urban location is very appealing, so close to both indoors and outdoors activities. Being an Explorer allowed me to meet several community members including my fabulous buddy, who will be my nextdoor neighbor! I was also able to observe the cohesiveness and the solid organization of the community itself. To me, this time is a perfect one to join Washington Commons, as it allows me to become part of the community-building process, now when construction is about to begin, going forward to when we all move in, and then beyond.

Meet Leonard and Pat

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Leonard was born in Seattle after sharing 9 months in a womb with his fraternal twin brother (his first experience with cohousing). When they were 12 years old the family moved near Redondo Beach, California, close enough to the beach for frequent bike rides there.
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Leonard went to UC Berkeley in the 60's, and lived in a student housing co-op there, where he participated in the required weekly maintenance to keep the community functional. He was intrigued by intentional communities and participated in their discussion groups, an interest that continues to this day.

At Cal Leonard studied mathematics, physics, and statistics, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in statistics. He began working on transportation planning for Caltrans as a Statistical Methods Analyst and while his job classification has changed, his interest in how and why people travel, and the effects of that on the environment, has not. Decades ago he developed a model of air pollutant emissions from motor vehicles based on California Air Resources Board emission rates and detailed travel modeling estimates. He uses SAS analytical software in much of his work.

Leonard also serves as a job steward and member of the Board of Directors for SEIU Local 1000.

As to outdoor recreation, sailing is a favorite. Leonard has crewed in some organized racing on the San Francisco Bay and has done board sailing around the world.  

​Pat grew up mostly on the east coast, and lived for two years in New Delhi, India. She also spent a year as an American Field Service exchange student in Brazil. Pat has a B.A. and an M.A. in anthropology, and was for many years an itinerant archaeologist, going from one project to another (mostly digs) at various locations. This included the excavation of a lowland Maya site in Guatemala. Later, she worked on a cubicle farm, doing environmental analyses for state and federal wildlife agencies. 
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Pat is now retired and enjoys outdoor activities above all else: hiking, biking, gardening, camping, and whitewater recreation. She has rafted the wild and scenic stretches of the Rogue and Deschutes Rivers, and the calmer waters of the John Day River and the San Juan River (in Utah) many times. 

She and Leonard have a kind, progressive, hardworking son, who also enjoys outdoor recreation, and now does all the heavy lifting on rafting/camping trips. 

Leonard and Pat are drawn to co-housing because it is an environmentally friendly way to live in urban spaces, and out of a desire to be part of a community of caring neighbors. 

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Meet Our Newest Members

7/31/2021

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July brought Three! new member households to Washington Commons.  One couple is relocating to the Sacramento area due to a new job position and the other two households were drawn to Cohousing as the pandemic and life changes made living in community with others a sensible and attractive lifestyle.

​Welcome JH & JiChul, Becki & Alec, and Jay!  We are excited to be building community with you! 

Meet JH & JiChul

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My family has been in Albany, New York since 2013. We are originally from South Korea. My name is JeongHyun and I am a wife of JiChul and a mother of two lovely children. My daughter is a junior at UIUC, and my son will be a freshman at Boston University this upcoming semester.

My husband has been semiconductor researcher and engineer over 23 years. This year he started a new job as vice president of research and global marketing for a semiconductor equipment company located in Sacramento, CA. So we have to make a plan to move Sacramento. I worked as an interior designer in Korea and I luckily have been working on several projects in Albany for my friends. Also, I studied and researched Cohousing for my Ph.D. 10 years ago. I would love to get all kinds of experience about real cohousing life. So my husband and I thought this is the perfect time to look for and join a cohousing community. We are really excited to learn about Washington Commons cohousing and we look forward to getting to know all the members.

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My favorite activity is reading a book, watching a movie, any kind of making things by hand and walking. And JiChul also likes outdoor activities like jogging, biking and walking. Washington Commons cohousing is located just near the riverwalk and we found it is the perfect place to enjoy these activities.  We hope to share our experiences and activities with you and it makes us happy that we can have a chance to get good cohousing neighbors.

Meet Becki & Alec

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​The Ambrose-Winters family hails from Davis, CA. We have lived in Village Homes for the past 18 years where we have fostered many dogs, fixed many bikes and grown many tomatoes. Our daughter (in the photo with us) graduated from Earlham college in 2020 and is in a teacher training program in the Kansas City school district where she is preparing to be a middle school science teacher. Alec used to practice geology by remediating “dirty ground water” sites. Becki is a professor of education at UC-Davis focused on working with teachers to develop anti-racist approaches to math teaching. We joined Washington Commons so we could have a one-story domicile with friendly neighbors. Our experience in the Davis Friends Meeting has given us first-hand knowledge of the joys and challenges of corporate decision making. We look forward to putting what we’ve learned into practice with our new community at Washington Commons.

Meet Jay

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I am a librarian with the San Mateo County Libraries.
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My interests are science (biology, astronomy), history, aviation, and tinkering with computers and automobiles. I graduated from UC Davis with a BS in biology, continuing at California State University East Bay, dropping out for library school at San Jose State University.
 
I'm an inactive private pilot, became licensed in 1968 while a student at UC Davis, and received an instrument rating in 1975. Flying clubs gave me the opportunity to fly single-engine Cessnas, Pipers, Grumman-Americans, and a retractable-gear Mooney and Beechcraft Bonanza.
 
I am captivated by (and am good at) editing. For several years I edited a flying club newsletter, and now enjoy editing and sometimes writing blogs for the San Mateo County Libraries. Each email I send is edited.
 
Appreciating our connections as living beings with all of earthly life comforts me. Evening walks see me gazing at stars and planets, knowing I am a part of the world, and made of elementary particles nearly 14 billion years old.
 

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