Co-housing is a way to move beyond the limits of the single dwelling model of multigenerational living. Periodically we like to hi-lite some of the successful co-housing ventures we have encountered. Today we take a look at the Sunward Co-Housing project outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

We have mentioned several times in the past that before you make a decision about a multigenerational house, everyone involved in the new living arrangement should have a say in what are the priorities of the new house. But does everyone involved in such a life-changing decision know what are the important questions to ask?
Here..Read the rest…

Privacy tends to be an issue in the multigenerational household, everyone needs some quiet time. In years past, many homebuilders experimented with the two master suite house floorplan but found few interested buyers. Now, however, there is a resurgence of interest in just this type of home construction.
Generally speaking the two master suites are at..Read the rest…

After the third in a series of intergenerational government reports in Australia, there was a lot of focus on “urban pressure.” It seems that Australia is the most urbanized country on earth with nearly 75% of the population living in cities. One concern is that the current metropolitan areas will not be capable of absorbing..Read the rest…

Here at Multigenerational Living we are big fans of alternative ways of living and thinking outside the box. So we had to take notice of the new Bridge Meadows project now under construction in Portland’s Portsmouth neighborhood. Officially the project is the Bridge Meadows foster care community project. The idea is to created a mixed-use..Read the rest…

There seems to be a lot of confusion around the term co-housing. We have mentioned the current ideal of single family or multi-family homes sharing a common green space and perhaps a community kitchen and other services.
One of our readers attended a recent conference in England and sent us her thoughts on the Co-Housing seminar...Read the rest…

For years the average size of a single family home has been on the rise. And its not just the McMansions but all types and designs of homes from the sprawling deluxe digs to condos and lofts. Bigger was better.
At the same time the number of residents in each unit has been falling. In fact,..Read the rest…

With all the talk about a growing “trend” towards multigenerational living, we might take a moment to consider just what is fueling this lifestyle shift. It might be important to remember that our data on multigenerational living is only reliable for about the last 60 years. Prior to 1950 even census numbers did not reflect..Read the rest…

We might say that an all senior co-housing project would be outside of our definition of multigenerational living. One generation doeth not a multi make. However, most senior co-housing projects have a mixture of generations if only for domestic and assisted living support.
The essential element of any co-housing situation is some degree of shared living...Read the rest…

There are lots of names for it: The Apartment, Mother-in-Law Quarters, In-Law Suite but whatever you call them — there are lots of considerations before you take hammer in hand or pen to purchase agreement. The “In-Law” facility implies an independent living space, which means kitchen and bath included. The very first consideration you must..Read the rest…