Member Bios

Bea

I was fortunate to get to try “cohousing” in the early 80s when I arrived in the Sacramento area, chasing what had become one of my passions, whitewater rafting.  The South Fork 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 value 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 friends at Washington Commons is my heart’s desire.  I have to confess that I’m a better eater than a cook, but sharing meals and much of daily life while having my own private home will be the icing on my cake.

Anne

Anne grew up in Redwood Village, a small subdivision on the outskirts of Redwood City south of San Francisco. It was a neighborhood of children and families that cared about each other. Later, living in Sacramento's McKinley Park with block parties and kitchens overlooking the street, there was another sense of neighborliness.

Anne studied art history at San Jose State and city planning at the University of Pittsburgh. She worked for many years for the California Air Resources Board and was the founding president and executive director of WALKSacramento, a pedestrian advocacy organization. 
 
Cohousing has been an interest of hers for a long time. She's excited about bringing together a committed group to create a special place that will become a home as well as a community. 

“I love that I will be living in close proximity with friends spontaneously taking advantage of the many activities of this vibrant area .... and, of course, I love the fact that our site is very walkable and bikeable too.”

Stu P.

Willa and I have lived in Davis for 40 years, and we raised two daughters there. I am a retired UC Davis Cooperative Extension soil scientist. I still occasionally teach Master Gardener soils workshops, and I get soil (aka dirt) under my nails by pulling weeds in our community garden plot.  My passion since age 12 is backpacking, but I'm active in two non-partisan citizen lobby groups, and that probably also qualifies as a passion.  I am excited to be preparing for the next phase of life by helping to create a cohousing community in West Sacramento.

Willa

​I learned about Cohousing when I went back for a master’s degree in City Planning at U. C. Berkeley in the nineties. One of my classes was called “Housing as if People Matter” taught by Clair Cooper Marcus. Now I’m retired and have a T-shirt with the Fred Babb motto “go to your studio and make stuff”. During COVID I’m clocking an hour a day at my sewing machine. My sister Fran Bowman, also a Washington Commoner, gave me the sign on my studio door that says “Don’t touch anything in here. Everything is strategically placed!” I’m also known to spend time in the kitchen and love to bake and make soup. When I go outside, it’s usually to tend some vegetables in my Community Garden plot, or my California native plants.

Jae

When Anne and I went to the same church, Capital City Unity, she introduced me to co-housing. I was looking for a smaller place to live and the idea of a community with like-minded friends was instantly appealing. Our location provides the gifts of nature — the river, nature trails, bike trails but yet the big city is just across the Tower Bridge. I love playing pickle ball, enjoy riding my bike. The rest of the time, I’m usually reading. Come join our wonderful group of friends.

Janet

Janet developed a keen interest in photography and travel long before joining her husband, Stu, in forming a freelance travel writer/photographer team with more than 100 stories published in print and on-line. Travel has been a source of inspiration and adventure ever since, including a walk across England in 2012. So far she has visited 45 US states and 81 countries on 6 continents.

Janet’s BA in History and Teaching Credential led her into elementary school classrooms in Marysville and Sacramento before she began working for the California Department of Health as an analyst and then manager, for 27 years. For even longer she has been researching her family history and genealogy. She has just recently discovered she descends from a “Pilgrim” who arrived on the Mayflower!
Janet and Stu both enjoy cooking and have belonged to their “gourmet group” for nearly 40 years, where they try new recipes and cuisines and share them with long-time friends several times a year. For nearly as long they have also belonged to a “wine-tasting group,” mostly an excuse to socialize, but also a chance to discover more about wine as a food, and beverage.
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Janet is now looking forward to a slightly slower pace—that is after she helps insure that Washington Commons becomes a properly designed and promptly constructed co-housing community in nearby West Sacramento, where its central, walkable, bikeable location beckons.    

Stu W.

For 15 years Stu worked with his wife, Janet Wilson as a team of freelance writer/photographers, specializing in food, wine and travel.  Native Californians with a love of history and architecture, they have resided in Sacramento for more than 45 years, when not on the road.  They have written stories on wine, beer, dining, destinations and journeys set in Europe and North America, especially California. Their work has been published in Motorhome, Trailer Life, Sierra Heritage, and Brew magazines. They contributed regularly to RV Journal magazine including a regular column on obscure places called The Road Less Traveled, before the magazine ceased publication in 2014.
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Prior to launching this journalism partnership, Stu worked in several occupations: as a planner in local government; as a program manager for a local electric utility; and, as a lobbyist representing local governments to the state government in Sacramento. He met his future wife, Janet at CSU Chico. He earned his BA in Economics there, and subsequently attended graduate school at UC Davis, to study Urban Geography and Planning. He has a long-time interest in promoting responsible development consistent with protecting our environment. Stu finds the opportunity to join other members in developing Washington Commons, with its accessible, central urban location, a rewarding and timely challenge.      

Polly

​Polly has lived in the north Sacramento area for over 40 years. She has been retired from Alta California Regional Center for over 10 years.  She enjoys gardening, helping children learn about vegetable gardening, reading, theater and Americana Music.  As a member of Washington Commons cohousing, she looks forward to again experiencing the neighborliness of her youth in Illinois. 

Fran

Hi, I’m Fran.

My favorite thing is to be a foster kitten mom, volunteering with our local shelter. Sometimes my own three cats - Dunnigan, Rumsey and Guinda - get curious about what I am doing with all the kids!

I also really enjoy my studio, where I run a home-based “doll hospital” and work on my endless unfinished sewing and quilting projects.

 I am active with our Sacramento Valley Returned Peace Corps group. I served my tours in Jamaica and Benin 42 years apart.

I am looking forward to moving to a new place, to share many fun activities with neighbors and cats!

Carol

Hey there, my name is Carol and I am really looking forward to life in cohousing.  One of the first things that comes to mind is cooking together and eating some of our meals together.  A lot of people are quite fond of my Aunt Penny's recipe for German hot potato salad.  Plus I'm a great kitchen cleaner-upper.

Caring for one another is big on my list.   I will sit with you if you have a toothache and get you to the dentist for the dreaded root canal procedure, which isn't really that bad anymore.  I will gladly volunteer to walk your dog and feed your cats.

For relaxation I like to water and weed the garden, see the birds flit from feeder to feeder and watch the flowers grow.  Flowers!  Yes!

Chris C.

​I was born and raised in Maryland, where I currently live. I am the IT guy for a small company in Virginia. While my lifelong passion has always been “all things tech”, I also prefer to unplug whenever possible, spending time outside walking, hiking, or cycling. While I feel privileged to live and work near the nation's capital, I am looking forward to moving to the capital of The Golden State, where I plan to walk, hike, and cycle as much as possible. I have family in the Bay Area and they will be happy to finally see me on the same coast.

Lisa

Lisa works as a full time occupational therapist, managing the rehabilitation department in a large psychiatric ward. She has a Masters Degree in Gerontology and in 2001 she began writing her thesis on Seniors Living in Intentional Communities and the Potential for an Increased Quality of Life.  This is when she and her husband, Scott, developed their fascination with cohousing.

She enjoys spending time with like minded and spirited people who want to deepen their connection to others. She spends her free time walking, meditating, and relaxing in nature - especially by natural bodies of water. Recently, Lisa has been discovering more and more about her Native American heritage, and even spending time with her Tribe in Southern Oregon participating in traditional ceremonies like the Pow Wow. 

Scott

I grew up in the Santa Clara Valley, and currently live in Cloverdale, CA. As a third generation Northern Californian, I really appreciates finding a co-housing opportunity so close to home. I am looking forward to surrounding himself with like-minded people.
 
I love outdoor adventure, you may often find me on a camping trip or on a long hike with my wife of 35 years, Lisa.
Tennis and kayaking are also major interests. If I am not directly participating, I enjoy going to sporting events, and can be found at Forty Niner and Giants games. Listening to live music is also a real passion of mine, and I hope to be involved in the Sacramento music scene at some level.

Career-wise, I critique, evaluate and sell fine wines. My clients are some of the top wine collectors in the country who depend on me to “get the good stuff”. I have been doing this professionally for 23 years.

Barbara A.B.

I’m a life-long Californian, born in San Francisco, raised in Los Angeles and Sacramento.  I spent most of my career working as an Administrative Law Judge with the State Personnel Board.  In 2016 I retired and began a new and exciting chapter of my life.  Terry and I purchased a very cool RV van with the goal of travelling around the country with our pup, Teddy, visiting National Parks as well as family and friends. And, that’s just what we did!  If you want to see a little more about our travels, you can check out my blog, barbaraallenbrecher.org.
We live in the grid in Sacramento and love the urban life!  I enjoy long walks around town and eating in the many delicious restaurants in our neighborhood. I am looking forward to the next adventure of co-housing in West Sacramento while still experiencing the joys of urban living.

Terry

I had a childhood that included barrel racing in No. Calif., a stint in Australia, and many, many outdoor adventures while living in Papua New Guinea.  I’ve lived much of my adult life in the Sacramento area where I raised two sons and muddled my way down two career paths, first as an RN and then a licensed clinical social worker. Barb and I have shared many adventures in our 30 years together, including downhill skiing, cycling, traveling and, yes, snorkeling. After Barb retired in 2016, we headed out in our small RV and tooled around the US and Canada for 4 months, amazing both family and friends when we returned home with nary a scratch on either ourselves or our RV. ​

Durriyah

​I spent my childhood in a close-knit neighborly community in Mumbai, India. My mother used to tell me that from the time I was 4-5 years old, I used to talk about coming to USA to study. As a young adult, I came to USA and my first landing was at Cal State Stanislaus, Turlock, CA. Since then, home base has been in the SF bay area. My career as a psychologist has been lively and adventurous. Currently I’m enjoying my work at the Santa Clara Valley Health system, in primary care behavior health integration. Traveling has been my passion, and when I’m not working or traveling, I enjoy, edible gardening, hiking, reading, spending time with family and friends, raising chickens and enjoying living in the moment. Lately, I’ve taken up sewing and laughing, for no reason, as a hobby. I wonder why.

Having lived in the suburbs for the last few decades and raising two children (now young adults), my husband Badru and I are eager to move to West Sacramento with restaurants, shops, theaters, and festivals nearby. The location of Washington Commons with its nearby Riverwalk offers a renewed promise of a friendly community with the added benefits of cohousing, living in a diverse community and neighborhood, and yet being able to visit friends in the Bay Area or going to the mountains with an easy couple hour drive!

Tom

In retirement I have become a number of things; farmer, forester, gourmet chef and Olympic runner. Or at least some version of those activities. In the summer months my wife Lenny and I supervise each other and an 8,000 square foot vegetable garden/orchard in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. We are surrounded by a 60 acre woodlot where I ply my chainsaw skills. My chef skills are limited to the confines of Blue Apron meals, but I do follow directions well.

Running is a passion/addiction of mine acquired in the 1960’s and carried out, on and off (mostly on), ever since.  Of late it affords plenty of time to consume volumes of audio books ranging from biographies to science fiction. Washington Commons will be a great place for these activities, except maybe the chainsaw work, and in warmer winter weather. And despite the fact that these appear to be solitary pursuits, I enjoy sharing the meals and talking about the books.

Lenore

My favorite way to get to know you would be to go for a walk with you.  

My best days begin with a walk through my garden which includes orchard, raspberry patch, 36 beds for annual and perennial fruits and vegetables and a California inspired grape arbor sporting grapes and hops. Such starts are only slightly marred by tomato horn worm encounters. This love of gardening has been passed on to the next two family generations in California and North Carolina.

My interest in co-housing has germinated for over 15 years and finally looks to be taking root in Washington Commons. I plan to bring my communal cooking skills, acquired during several stints with communities in the Bay Area, to bear in our kitchen. My second favorite way to get to know you would be to prepare a meal with you.

I’m always up for games and puzzles of many kind. In my next life I will be a bridge player.

Zvi (Zvika)

I am a retired electronics engineer with 27 years’ experience in designing and implementing intelligence and electronic warfare devices for the Israeli Security industry. In my second career after retirement I was a pilot and a skipper who led tours in the Mediterranean around the Greek and Turkish beaches.

I was born in Romania, in 1944. My parents run away from the Nazis and ended up in Bergen Belsen in Germany. They immigrated to Israel in 1949.

I grew up and got educated in Israel. I served as a combat officer in the Israeli army, and as an officer in the army reserve (miluim) for 25 years. I fought in 1967, 1973 and 1982 wars and participated in numerous anti-terrorist activities.

I was married for 45 years and have two adult children and five grown grandchildren who live in Israel.

In 2012, after the death of my wife I met Racheli and we set a life together both in Tel Aviv and in Sacramento. I am an avid movie watcher and enjoy creating family and travel videos. I am building a website which will tell our own and our families’ stories, titled unforgettable you. I treasure community activities and look forward to being part of our vibrant and supportive Washington Commons community.

Rachel (Racheli)

I am a retired educator, human resource consultant and a career counselor who lived and worked in Israel, England, and USA. I was active in the Israeli and Jewish community in Los Angeles for many years.

I was born and grew up in Israel and studied Biology in the Hebrew University, in Jerusalem. I met my first husband soon after completing my undergraduate studies. We moved to London and worked in educational research until 1981. My husband was invited to work in UCLA, and I studied Educational and Career Counseling in UCLA. After his death, my son and I stayed in West Los Angeles. I first in worked as a teacher in Jewish Schools and then moved into in career counseling, human resources management and teaching in UCLA and UC Davis Extensions.

In 2011 I travelled to Israel and taught human resources and career counseling in three colleges and reconnected with my mother and four siblings after living abroad for 40 years. I met Zvika in 2012 and we got married in 2015.  I have a son, a daughter in law and two granddaughters who live in Sacramento.

At present Zvika and I split our times between Tel Aviv and Sacramento. We both love traveling, Israeli and Jewish movies and are part of the Sacramento Jewish Festival committee which screens movies for the yearly festival. I am passionate about bringing the best of out of people and building communities. I look forward to contributing my passion and skills to developing the Washington Commons cohousing project.

Sandra and Patrick

• Birthplaces: Both were born in the San Francisco Bay Area (Patrick at Alta Bates Hospital, Berkeley, California and Sandra at UCSF Hospital, San Francisco).
  
• Childhoods: Patrick grew up traveling with his father (a Pastor and Clergy) to more than 32 states. Sandra grew up as an only child on a 7,000 acre ranch in Central California.
  
• Early Adult Years: Upon graduation from UCD, Sandra volunteered with the American Red Cross and spent 13 months in South Vietnam, providing support to US Combat troops, both in base hospitals and ‘in the field’. Patrick explored numerous career opportunities while deepening his study of spiritual paths, exploring Christian, Jewish and Buddhist faith traditions.
  
• Their lives crossed at Kaiser Vallejo Hospice where Patrick was the Hospice Chaplain and Sandra the hospice social worker. It was at this time that they recognized that they shared a highest-held value - ‘Being of service to others’. In meeting and studying with Thich Nhat Hahn in the early 1990’s, their callings to service were clarified and defined.
  
• Each pursued their passion for service independently for the next 30 years. In 2017, they were drawn together again, sharing their love of service, Buddhist path, and shared values of integrity and respect.
  
• Sandra and Patrick are drawn to Washington Commons as a wonderful opportunity to be ‘in community’ with fellow Washington Commoners, sharing mutual respect and regard for each other. It is at Washington Commons that our joy of communal activities - be they housekeeping, preparing and cooking delicious meals together, sharing recreational activities such as bicycling the near-by River paths, attending theater, the movies, ball games, museums or creating crazy collages in our shop and messy craft room - will flourish. Washington Commons will provide for both shared community experiences as well as private, individual spaces. We will have the best of both worlds at Washington Commons.

Jay

I was born in 1946, one of the first baby boomers and first son to my parents.

My father returned from WWII, a flight engineer on B-29s in the Pacific theater. My mother worked as an employee in aircraft factories while he was training. She was not a Rosie the Riveter, say Theresa the Typist.

First memories:

Our Pasadena apartment had an ice box, not a refrigerator. The iceman cameth to replenish the cold stuff.

I liked toy trains. My mother says I took them apart and had no skill for reassembly.

I rode my mother’s beat up tricycle on Bentley Avenue in Culver City. A photo of me on it, taken by my favorite uncle Gerald, shows me with a beatific expression. Gerald died too early at 50. I think of him daily.

My favorite book was and is The Bear That Wasn’t. The book’s bear awakens from winter slumber in the middle of a factory where he’s told to get to work, you silly man in a fur coat who needs a shave! Time passes. The bear realizes he’s no man in a fur coat who needs a shave (even the circus bears say that) but a bear and so starts next season’s hibernation*.

We lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1950, first in Hayward, then in Fremont. My civics teacher loved to say “nix!” to student errors. In my biology class I saw coacervates form (see Wikipedia). I was thrilled! The first stage in life’s early history! And so I majored in biology at UC Davis. Such topics still thrill me.  

At UC Davis I happened on the campus club Cal Aggie Flying Farmers and learned to fly. In the Bay Area I joined flying clubs, Fremont Flyers at the Hayward Airport, and in Oakland, the Alameda Aero Club, becoming the club’s newsletter editor and treasurer. Editing is my great skill and passion. It absorbs as does flying. Both demand exclusive attention. I haven’t flown since 2012, devoting time to caring for my ill girlfriend and domestic partner.

That’s part of me. Now another part of me is Washington Commons.

Jay P. Smith

* Bears do not hibernate, they go into a state of torpor.

Catherine

Hello! I’m Cathy and I’m already enjoying our cohousing community as we get to know each other and work towards getting Washington Commons built. I currently live in Midtown Sacramento where I walk or ride my bike to just about anywhere I want to go. The Washington Commons’ West Sacramento location is also in a walkable neighborhood, just across the river and close to all the amenities of Sacramento’s urban core. Some of my favorite local excursions include the farmers' market, restaurants with a Sacramento farm-to-fork vibe, live theater, the Crocker Museum, or meeting up with friends to cycle or walk the American River Parkway.  

When I want to get out of town, I enjoy visiting my children or exploring the towns and open spaces of Northern California. I have a daughter in Arlington, VA, a daughter in Gilbert, AZ, and a son in Oakland, CA. Whenever the opportunity arises I enjoy camping, hiking or skiing in the Sierras or elsewhere with some combination of my three children, their spouses, and my four grandsons.

I am grateful for all the hard work the original WC members put into creating the beautiful and environmentally friendly design of Washington Commons. Its layout makes it easy to interact with neighbors while providing the privacy of owning our own homes. I look forward to being part of a community that is committed to living more sustainably, taking care of the earth and each other, and has a great space for parking bikes, and I'm hoping, a kayak or two.

I am a retired clinical social worker. My big retirement project is writing a book that provides an insider's view of working in a VA mental health clinic where I had the honor to serve veterans using psychotherapy to heal combat trauma. When I’m not writing or visiting one of my children, I am probably enjoying some outdoor adventure, working in my garden, reading or making music. I look forward to getting the pandemic and social distancing behind us so I can get together with my WC neighbors to play the guitar and sing. To all of you who consider yourselves nonsingers, I have a framed poster with a Zimbabwe saying that I'd like to show you, "If you can talk, you can sing!"

 Chris H.

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!

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.

JoAnn

As a peripatetic second-generation Californian, I’ve traipsed the state south to north, back and forth, collected a BA in psychology and an MA in English from San Jose, and eventually settled happily in Sutter Creek.

Because I’m really the shy one reading in the corner (hooked on books ever since Dick and Jane leapt off the page to chase Spot), I’m astonished my so-called career included “talking head” documentary appearances and public presentations. As unexpected evidence, I recently discovered online a talk I gave at the State Railroad Museum 25 years ago. Wonders never cease.

With six books on the subject, my obsession with California’s gold rush is no secret. I’m thrilled to be moving into the heart of its history — and, bonus, near the State Library where my research is archived.

My secret enthusiasm — besides the NYT crosswords — is English Country dancing (think ballroom scenes from “Pride and Prejudice”). Poetry in motion and fun (trust me, if I can do it anyone can).

Also on my incomplete list of favorite things: trading travel tales over a great meal; discovering where an unknown road goes; nature walks; mystifying my two cats and amusing my late husband’s ghost; technology; theatre; classical music (addicted to Max Richter’s “Recomposed”); and making someone smile.

Add this: anticipating new friends and neighbors sharing stories of life’s zig-zag events and adventures leading us all to 4th and G.

Barbara S.

Hi, my name is Barbara. I am adjusting to this wonderful stage of life called retirement.  I am in two book clubs. Whenever possible, I enjoy going to theater performances, museums, concerts, and baseball games. Playing online games also keeps me in touch with friends, especially now during the pandemic. Recently, riding a recumbent trike has become a joyful habit, along with walking, meditation, and yoga. 

Over several years, I have visited a number of cohousing communities in the SF Bay area, Washington and Oregon. To me, cohousing offers the perfect balance of privacy and community. I look forward to living and working together with my neighbors at Washington Commons. The location is appealing, so close to both indoors and outdoors activities. Come join us in the adventure that is cohousing!

Nancy and John

• Born and raised in California
• Early adult years in Italy and France (Nancy) and east coast (both)
• Met, fell in love, and began married life in Humboldt County, California
• Residents of San Francisco with vacation home in Wilton near Cosumnes River
• Parents
  
• Grandparents
  
• Retired educator [languages] and ordained clergy (Nancy)
• Semi-retired labor and employment attorney and journalist (John)
• Social, political, and community activists
• Sports enthusiasts [esp. World Cup soccer]
• Travelers
• Naturists
• People of faith
• Newly-minted support docents at Deer Creek Hills Preserve
• Attracted to Washington Commons by the location (walkability and close to medical, transit, and an international airport) and most of all the community!