​What has drawn me to cohousing is the sense of intentional community; A community of people who want to live together, help one another and learn together, celebrate and work with one another and reach out to the community at large. Also, the idea of living in a small space, sustainably and lightly on the land ranks high on my priority list. Cooking together and sharing meals as a community is a big draw for me. Sharing and caring – that’s what it’s all about.
 
I am intrigued by the location of Washington Commons, a lively urban neighborhood with access to public transportation and walking/biking trails and cafes.
 
I love to hike, cook, read, go birding and participate in Spanish conversation.  I volunteer with family support for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).   I have two ornery elderly cats who are not going to adjust well condominium life, but so be it.  I am of late involved in a group studying spiritual eldering which emphasizes lifelong learning, brain-mind development and consecrated service to humanity.  I feel that life in Washington Commons would foster this new paradigm of aging—and I hope that some younger folks with youth and spirit will join us to spur us on as we move forward in these challenging times .

​It was Nancy’s big sister Carol who introduced us to cohousing a couple of years ago. We made some casual visits to other projects, but it was Carol once more who spurred us to take a closer look at Washington Commons when she decided to become an explorer earlier this year. We were impressed with the progress and professionalism, and the location that meets all our needs in terms of access to services, transit, and walkability. The added bonus we’ve discovered since joining this community is the community itself – people we’ve started to see socially and look forward to hanging with once we move into Washington Commons.
 
We were born and raised in California and earned our undergraduate degrees at the University of California, Nancy at Davis and John at Berkeley. As young adults we also lived on the east coast and in Nancy’s case, Italy and France. We both eventually ended up in Humboldt County, California, which is where we met and married and raised our son. We pursued our careers there, Nancy at College of the Redwoods, John as an employment lawyer, and both as community, political, and church activists. There we also developed a passionate interest in soccer (as players and spectators) and in soccer-related travel, using FIFA World Cups (men’s and women’s) as a reason for extended visits to France, Germany, South Africa, and Brazil.
 
We relocated to San Francisco 20 years ago, where John took a job with the state
Department of Industrial Relations and Nancy worked as a foreign languages instructor at City College of San Francisco. She also attended seminary and became an ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church. We are now both retired, save for Nancy’s continuing part-time chaplaincy with a multi-faith street ministry.
 
As we contemplated relocating after retirement, Nancy rediscovered her fondness for the Sacramento Valley, where we’ve maintained a small vacation home the past few years. Nancy likes the outdoors, walking and hiking, and being in and around water, while John likes all these things with slightly less enthusiasm as well as the warmer weather. We have recently signed up to become volunteer docents with the Sacramento Valley Conservancy and are learning about the flora and fauna (especially the birds!) at Deer Creek Hills near our vacation home.
 
Our other passions now include spending time with our grandchildren, gardening and cooking (for Nancy), reading, sports, almost anything artistic, and travel.

Bea grew up in a close-knit community in El Paso, field tested cohousing in Davis, worked at establishing a cohousing community in Flagstaff, and joined Washington Commons in April.

​“The Sacramento area was my home in the 80’s and 90’s. I arrived chasing what had become one of my passions, whitewater rafting.  The South Fork of the American River boasts Class III boating in an invigorating and beautiful canyon and I spent hundreds of days on that water over the next 15 years.  ​

​​Cathy was involved with Southside Park Cohousing during its formation, explored Washington Commons last year, attended our March SABA Bike event, and became our most recent member in April. 
 
"My introduction to cohousing was in the early 90s.  I loved the concept of living in a people and environmentally friendly community and hoped someday I would have the opportunity to join one.  I have enjoyed living in an urban, walkable community in Midtown Sacramento for almost 30 years.  ​Washington Commons offers a similar environment on the other side of the river with the added benefit of having neighbors close by for mutual support and fun. ​

Erik Granum of UD+P, our development partner, shared insights into the ways that design elements foster and reinforce the social connection an essential characteristic of cohousing communities. 
 
A large group gathered over ZOOM to hear Erik talk about the subject. ​Erik introduced cohousing as ‘Intentionally designed living within a community comprised of private dwellings around shared spaces’.