Q. Are you affiliated with any political, religious, economic, or philosophical group or ideology?
No. We are simply a group of regular people who want to live where we know our neighbors, have fun, and support each other in whatever way feels right for each person. The only organization we’re associated with is the Cohousing Association of the United States.
Q. Do you allow pets?
Yes, we allow pets. Please see our pet policy under About Us, Agreements, Animal Policy.
Q. Who owns the land?
As with any condominium association, the land is owned on a pro-rata basis by each homeowner.
Q. How much are the Home Owner Association (HOA) dues and what do they include?
HOA dues include heat, water, garbage, curbside recycling, and, other common space expenditures (Common House, Workshop, and grounds), and a future replacement cost account. Homeowners pay for their own electricity, internet, and cable. Starting in January 2025, HOA fees are anticipated to be between $530 and $550 per household per month.
Q. How do 35 households make decisions?
Most decisions are delegated to teams of about 4-8 residents that focus on particular areas (e.g., Buildings & Grounds, Common House, Gardens/Orchard/Plants/Animals [“GOAT”], etc.). The teams collect input and create proposals for the entire group to review and either approve or send back for modification.
Decisions that affect the whole community are made by consensus. Consensus is not necessarily unanimity; it’s one that everyone can live with. In the consensus decision-making process, all voices are heard and valued, which often results in more information being considered. The collaborative process also creates more buy-in to the final decision.
Q. Do you have garages?
Yes. Each home comes with one open air parking spot and one space in a heated garage with a large storage loft.
Q. You say that residents maintain the neighborhood. How does that work?
In a variety of ways, we all participate in maintaining the neighborhood. We have a community Work and Participation Agreement (see About Us, Agreements).
General Expectations are that adult residents will contribute 6 hours per month on community tasks including yard maintenance, snow removal, keeping the CH clean and participating on at least one team. Residents decide what kind of work they do.
For larger projects we have two 4-hour work days each year.
We also have a “pay or play” system for cleaning the common house: you can choose to sign up for a certain number of hours of cleaning, or choose to be part of the group that pays for a hired cleaner.
Q. Who cooks the shared meals?
Meal teams include a head cook, 1-3 assistant cooks, and a couple of dish washers (we have a commercial dish washer that makes it much easier).
Q. Are residents required or expected to eat in the Common House?
No, shared meals are optional. We have 1-2 optional, shared dinners per week. Residents sign up a few days beforehand so that the head cook knows how much food to buy. The cooks accommodate food allergies / sensitivities / preferences.
Q. How extensive are your gardens?
We have 13 raised garden boxes located south of the Common House, and there are smaller perennial gardens around the property. We have both community gardens that produce vegetables and herbs for common meals as well as garden beds tended by individuals who grow their own food. We have quite a bit of edible, perennial landscaping, and we compost our food waste. There is an orchard, community garden and hoop house located on Tract B adjacent to Ravens Roost.
Q. Are kids welcome?
Absolutely! We are a multi-generational neighborhood currently comprised of little kids, teenagers, 20-somethings, elders, and all ages in between. Cohousing presents the wonderful opportunity to have true friends of all ages.
Q. Which schools would kids attend?
Public schools are Trailside Elementary, Hanshew Middle School, and Service High School.
There’s a Montessori School within easy walking distance of Ravens’ Roost, and Pacific Northern Academy is located at Abbott and Lake Otis, just half a mile from us.
Q. Parking looks like it’s a ways to the unit I’d like to live in. How will I get my groceries to my house?
We have carts to take things to and from our cars. Walking to and from our cars is one way that we connect with each other, and get a some exercise. Even if it’s just a few words, it’s amazing how this can brighten the day.
Q. What if I don’t like all of my neighbors?
Well, don’t be surprised. You probably wouldn’t expect to like every single person in a group of 35 households. There will naturally be some people with whom you get along better than others. But when that person who annoys you picks you up at the airport or helps your daughter with her calculus homework, he or she might suddenly not seem so bad. Some say that cohousing is the biggest personal growth experience you’ll ever have.
Q. If I buy a home and decide to sell later, how would this work?
A. Legally, we are a condominium association. So you would sell your home just like you would sell any other condo, except that Ravens’ Roost Cohousing would want to educate any potential buyer about cohousing and the shared intention to get to know one’s neighbors. As the owner, you would decide on price and other terms.