Communal living is on the rise in the United States, particularly in the form of cohousing — when strangers live in separate living quarters, yet share a common area, meals, and often, more intimate parts of their lives such as childcare. The modern-day communal living arrangement, whether that be single-family home communities, or apartment complexes for young adults, is a far cry from the hippie communes of the 1960s — in which residents would often share everything, finances included. Modern day cohousing arrangements seek to marry a need for community, and a more traditional American obsession with privacy and individualism.

So why the increase? Simple: Americans are reporting ever increasing feelings of loneliness, much of which, according to architect Grace Kim, can be attributed to our built environment. “The danger of achieving [the American Dream] is a false sense of connection, and an increase in social isolation,” she said in a recent TED talk. Our single-family homes and our suburban lifestyles are created for individualist living, and contributing to our global isolation epidemic. This increased isolation is leading to earlier deaths for our elderly, and higher rates of depression and other serious health issues amongst the population at large, forcing people to reconsider what the ideal living arrangement may look like for them.

“There are plenty of people in the mainstream seeking an alternative to the alienation of suburban living, people who want more connection and community in their lives," said Tony Sirna of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in northeast Missouri.

The Roots of Cohousing

The concept of communal living has existed for millennia; however, our current iteration of communal living can be attributed to a cohousing movement which began in 1960s Denmark. By definition, traditional cohousing, as modeled after the Danes, entails an intentional community of private homes clustered around shared space, and typically features a common house, a large industrial kitchen, dining area, and ample lush green space; it emphasizes both private and personal space, with a central goal of coming together in the common area.

The movement came to the U.S. in the 1990s, and has been steadily increasing ever since. Largely spearheaded by aging adults who were tiring of their large, single-family homes, and seeking an alternative as they grew older. “American’s want to be able to close their doors, pull down the blinds and sell their homes, but at the same time, they want more opportunities for community,” said Raines Cohen, a board member of the Cohousing Association of the United States. “A lot of people also realize that not everyone has to have their own washer and dryer, their own lawn mower, and their own backyard pool. Sometimes it makes sense to share.”

According to the Cohousing Association of the United States, there are currently 148 communities of this variety throughout the country, and over 140 in the planning stages. This includes both intergenerational communities and age restricted — meaning that some house residents of all ages, while others are specifically for older adults, typically over the age of 60. Although most communities share commonalities, each is unique and differs in the wishes and desires of the group, how finances are shared, and what the design of the community will look like; this can range from style of homes, number of dinners shared a week, and what expectations neighbors can have from fellow community members.

Young People Embrace the Cohousing Model

As the movement gains momentum, new versions of the cohousing model are beginning to emerge, many of which are geared towards young professionals and their lifestyle preferences, most prominently their desire to move often and throughout the country. This new version is a significant diversion from the traditional form of communal housing, though still maintains many of the same core characteristics including communal space, shared meals, and the intentionality to live cooperatively together.

Unlike most traditional set-ups however, the housing offered through cohousing start-ups such as Star-City, WeLive, and Common are rentable units, and are often available on shorter term leases, allowing for flexibility. Most units also offer luxury amenities including laundry, maid service, and gourmet kitchens — qualities many young people are seeking but cannot necessarily afford on their own. Some, like Star City in San Francisco, even have a “community manager” that organizes events, dinners, and volunteer activities for residents.