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Catch up on our story

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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Our Visitors From New York

6/2/2021

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​Magali and Frank, an Explorer couple from New York, paid us a visit last week. It was a great excuse to have a party. We met in Cathy’s lovely backyard in midtown Sacramento. So wonderful to be able to meet in person again sharing food, laughter and interesting conversation.  

​Here are some glimpses of our gathering:
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Durriyah and her buddy Magali
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Polly and Carol. New members, Carol and Bea, drove from Flagstaff to join in the festivities and meet their new neighbors.
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Magali shares stories with Bill and Willa.
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Lots of laughter - Carol and Durriyah.  Durriyah didn’t want to miss the party and left the Bay Area early so she could be there.
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​Bea and Jea
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Nancy of San Francisco fixes her salad
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Explorers Frank of New York and Becki of Davis get to know each other.
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Fran, Janet and Stu
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Cathy tastes the last of the sugar and gluten free cheesecake.
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A great party - Terry, Jae & Fran
Others who were there but not captured by our photographer include Scott & Lisa, Barb, Stu P, Anne, and John.
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Meet Carol, John and Nancy

6/1/2021

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Our community enthusiastically welcomes Carol, John and Nancy, our 2 most recent member households. Carol, a California native, has spent the last 20 years in Flagstaff, AZ. In May she followed her friend Bea and joined Washington Commons. (Bea joined us in April.) John and Nancy (Carol's sister), also California natives currently living in San Francisco, followed Carol's lead and joined us on the same day in May. Friends, family and community are priorities for Carol, John, Nancy and Bea which they can manifest at Washington Commons.
Meet Carol
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​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 .

​Meet John and Nancy
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​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.

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Working with the Diversity Doctor

5/4/2021

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"Diversity in cohousing is not a new topic, but it is a conversation that is increasingly at the forefront of forming communities as the discussion has grown nationally in all aspects of contemporary life. This subject is not easy to approach, it requires lots of unlearning, listening, and often times uncomfortable introspection. It is not a topic that we can decipher alone, and takes the coming together of various groups and demographics to begin to understand the root of the problem, and how we can affect change in our own lives and communities." Katie McCamant, Cohousing Solutions
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Here at Washington Commons we have enlisted the help of Dr. Stacie Walton, better known as the Diversity Doctor, to learn how we can better create a welcoming diverse community environment. 

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Learn More about Dr. Stacey Walton

"
As a result of my experiential and interactive workshops, individuals and organizations can use the strategies that support communication with patients that becomes more efficient, equitable, empathetic, and effective.

I help individuals and organizations develop the foundational principles and build resilience to make 'good trouble' and make 'anti-racist' choices in their everyday lives.
"
​- Dr. Stacie Walton
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​In our first meeting with Stacie, she emphasized intention and action. She queried us as to what results we really want. This led us to creating an action plan which we are now implementing. ​This plan includes strategically redesigning our website,  initiating a list of organizations in our community that we can work with and share our message with such as the Black Chamber of Commerce, the Urban League and various service organizations.  We are also working to outline economic options for first time homebuyers and others with limited financial resources.  We set up to focus groups to query in a neutral environment people of color who had participated in past site tours to learn whether our processes had could be improved. 
"I personally think the most powerful thing that Stacie did for us was to engage us in a way that mobilized our intention. We have been desiring this but without any sense of efficacy. Stacie gave us the sense that we really could make a difference. That even small things could make a difference. She is also working with us on the topic of healing, resulting in profound realizations. I desire diversity, and my intention is to be welcoming. But, I have, in effect, a counter intention that and that is “Why would any people of color want to be with us? Why after all we as a culture have done to them?” I’m working on healing this and making myself truly open to engaging with people of color who I’m learning are very excited about engaging with us."
- Anne Geraghty, Washington Commons Community Member

We continue to work every day to create a more welcoming and diverse environment. We are listening, learning, and unlearning.  With the guidance of Dr. Stacie Walton we feel like we are beginning to fully embody our mission statement: "Our daring effort to live well with care for each other and the environment, learn from each other, respect our differences, and make great community decisions."

Thanks for reading. 

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Meet Bea and Cathy

5/3/2021

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​We are thrilled to introduce our two newest members who both share a history of cohousing and Sacramento.  Bea, joining us from Flagstaff, was a resident of N Street Cohousing in Davis many years ago.  Cathy, joining us from Sacramento, was involved in the formation of Southside Cohousing in Sacramento and is excited to be joining our community.  
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Meet Bea
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.  ​
N Street Cohousing in Davis was my home for part of that time and I’m grateful to my friends there who taught me the joy and rewards of community living.

​Washington Commons is now affording me the opportunity to come “home”.  My heart has longed to be back among friends, water, fabulous bird watching locations and gorgeously blooming gardens in Sacramento.  Living almost beside the Sacramento River, but steps from the Capitol, restaurants, arenas and with my new family at Washington Commons is my heart’s desire.  Sharing much of daily life while having my own private home will be icing on my cake.”
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Meet Cathy
​​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. ​
I am a retired clinical social worker writing a book about my work with veterans at the VA, which was terrific, and VA mental health policy, which needs improvement. When I’m not writing I enjoy gardening, music, and the Sierra Nevada to ski, hike, and camp.  I’m looking forward to the possibility of visiting some wineries with other members, having buddies to cycle our American River Bike Trail and sail at Lake Washington Sailing Club, just ten minutes from Washington Commons.  It’s hard to beat an evening sail when the Delta breeze kicks in after a hot summer day in Sacramento."
 
WELCOME Bea and Cathy, it is a joy to be creating community together!
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Connection-Centric Design: The key to creating community

5/2/2021

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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’. 
According to Erik's research, the hallmark of projects that succeed in creating cohesive community is ‘connection-centric design’. Erik identifies 2 types of connection-centric design: Overt and Covert. Overt design is represented in the physical features that create intentional engagement with your neighbors such as the common house, dining room, commercial kitchen, and guest and reception spaces. These are spaces which feature planned events such as community meals and meetings. Overt design facilitates intentional bonding.
 
Covert design elements, by contrast, are those design features that result in incidental bonding among community members. They don’t require community planning or intention to be effective. They work continuously, affect everyone, go unnoticed and don’t create undue annoyance.
 
What are these “Covert” design elements?
  • Walkways and courtyards that support circulation - where neighbors pass each other as they go about their daily routines. They have the opportunity to say “Hi” or stop and chat. In Washington Commons our courtyard deck provides many “pathways” for such connections as will our walking from the parking areas to the living spaces. We will be connecting many times a day as we go about our business.

  • Scale and spacing - Erik’s research ascertained that in communities of 40 homes or less, people generally know all their neighbors. In larger communities this wasn’t the case.  Washington Commons with 35 homes will have the sense of scale that Erik says is so important.

  • Sight-lines - the ability to see common spaces from a distance so that residents have a sense of what is happening in the community, what spaces are and are not being used at the specific time. In Washington Commons we will easily be able to check out what is happening in the courtyard just outside our doors.

  • Proof of Life – Seeing the lights of our neighbors’ windows creates a sense of warmth and connection. Erik noted how this creates a sense of belonging as we come home after a busy day; the lights enlivening our community.  The windows in our homes will look across the courtyard to our neighbors.

  • Identity and ownership – the ability to create personal space outside the entrance to one’s home with chairs, plants, artwork provides a sense of belonging and ownership. These personal areas become special places for more intimate one-on-one gatherings. All of our homes provide such spaces outside their doors.

  • Passive communication – another element Erik noted, represented by community bulletin boards, name plaques on homes, and mailboxes.

​Erik left us with the sense of how beautifully our community is designed – both for planned events and unplanned, magical connections.  Thank you Erik! 
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Biking Around Our Future Neighborhood

4/8/2021

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“Joyous!” was how longtime cyclist and member Stu P. described the March 20 biking and social event.
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Arlete Hodel of SABA led Washington Commoners on their 2nd bike event of the year, this time a city tour of West Sacramento. The large group included people from New Hampshire, Oakland, Walnut Creek, Cloverdale and Modesto, as well as the locals from Sacramento and Yolo counties. It also included 4 current explorers and one former explorer who decided to renew her Explorer status after the event. Two co-housing enthusiasts (future Explorers?) also joined the group at the Treehouse Cafe for food, drink and socializing after the ride.

​The tour visited the closest of the Three Sisters' urban farms where peas, chard, lettuce and carrots were thriving and the weeds were non-existent! An additional highlight was bicycling on the Clarksburg Branch Line Trail.  When we returned to the Treehouse Cafe everyone was treated to more fruits of the Central Valley; member Becky shared her labor of love; Kumquat marmalade.
​Many of the newer members and explorers were meeting the long-term members in person for the first time, and even the long-timers did not recognize the faces they had been seeing on Zoom for the past year behind their masks! It was a fun event, nurturing on all levels this unique gathering of individuals that wants to know their neighbors and build community together.
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Safety Check!
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Final adjustments, ready to ride
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​Arlete herds the cohousers at the corner of 4th&G
“Arlete, thank you so much for sharing your biking expertise and wisdom with our group! Even before we mounted our bikes, she performed a safety check. She brought 2 sweepers, always thinking of our safety. And she provided safety tips at the onset and along the way. She led us on a delightful tour, we had a great time, perfect weather and a truly perfect day!”  -Pam
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Row of Greens in a meticulously groomed garden
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Cohousers form a neat row with their bikes; in harmony with nature is a core value!
First stop on the tour was at the closest of the Three Sisters urban farms where peas, chard, lettuce, and carrots were thriving and the weeds were non-existent
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Scott and Lisa in front of pea rows
“It was a great experience to learn about and ride the quiet and beautiful bike paths in West Sacramento. Knowing I can ride my bike to nature, recreation, and shopping made me feel hopeful about being less dependent on my car.”  -Lisa
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I told you we should ask for directions!
“What a delightful afternoon. Socializing on such a beautiful day with my companionable future neighbors, Scott and Tom, makes me so grateful to be part of this community.” -Bill
PictureIt really is this rural in West Sacramento near the Clarksburg Trail




"The Washington Commons bike event provided three firsts for me: first experience cycling in West Sacramento, first ride on an e-bike and first in-person group event with fellow Washington Commoners. I can imagine many more biked rides from Fourth and G and many more group events. Not so sure about the e-bike.” -Tom
PictureAlmost home with the Tower Bridge in Background, the day was as perfect as the photo
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“It felt so good to be riding a bike again. I’m looking forward to lots of bicycling adventures with my new Washington Commons friends.”
​-Anne G
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Pam, Anne and Jae hydrate after the ride
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We nourish ourselves on many levels at the Treehouse Café, next door to our site at 4th&G
"One of the many joys of bike riding is all the aromas.... jasmine, newly mown grass, food cooking, fabric softener from someone's dryer, then there's all the different sounds!” -Jae

“It was heartwarming to finally be able to see members of my new community in person, many for the first time. And at a cafe right next to our site! Let's do it again soon!” -Catherine
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Becky’s Kumquat Tree
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You can taste the labor of love, it was divine!
When we returned to the Treehouse Cafe everyone was treated to more fruits of the Central Valley; member Becky shared her labor of love, Kumquat marmalade.

“I enjoy making kumquat marmalade and am so pleased that I have appreciative folks to make it for.” -Becky
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