Column: Cohousing – a solution to homelessness?
Presentation happening Saturday at Mountainbrook Church in SLO
– Homelessness is plaguing our cities and towns throughout the country and is a growing problem on the Central Coast of California. Many local organizations offer programs of assistance to homeless individuals but so far none have produced a concrete solution to end homelessness.
Hopes Village of San Luis Obispo, an organization that has worked on homeless issues for more than a decade is offering a presentation with a solution by Charles Durret of The CoHousing Company on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Mountainbrook Church, 1775 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo at 7 p.m.
Most humanitarian groups aiding the homeless agree that housing is the first and foremost need. Once a homeless person has a residence it becomes easier to obtain a job and fill out applications for other assistance. To put it succinctly, one needs to have an address. However, obtaining housing is next to impossible under the regulations and restrictions now imposed on our population. To rent a modest living space on the Central Coast one must supply income information stating that total income is three times the current asked for rent. Requirements like this are barely able to be met by individuals with good employment no less than by a homeless unemployed person.
Even for ordinary citizens, new ways to house people must be found. One of the ways that have come into play is the idea of cohousing. Cohousing is a Danish concept that came to the United States in the late 1980s. It has been gaining momentum ever since. Durret and The CoHousing Company are taking the concept a step further to address homelessness.
Cohousing communities consist of private homes that are strategically positioned around a common area to facilitate the maximum possibility of social interaction between neighbors. These communities regularly enjoy meals together in a common house. The community is managed by its residents, who value privacy, community, and sustainability. They are made up of people working with one another for the community’s sake.
Cohousing is already in place at Valley View Senior Housing built in 2019 in Napa County. This was an American Canyon project conducted to house older homeless people and homeless veterans. Others are already established or in the works in Sacramento, Fresno, Cotati, Mountain View, Nevada City, Grass Valley, and in the states of Washington North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Many more are in project stage.
Durret will speak about his book, “A Solution to Homelessness in Your Town,” and discuss things already being looked at for cohousing projects on the Central Coast.
You can learn more about cohousing at www.cohousingco.com or by emailing Charles Durret at [email protected] and by attending the talk on Saturday, March 19 at Moutainbrook Church at 7 p.m.
-By Ruth Ann Angus
