The Cohousing Handbook: Building a Place for Community

by Chris Hanson. 1996, Hartley and Marks, Vancouver, British Columbia and Point Roberts, Washington. Paperback, 278 pages, $24.95.

Once Cohousing has convinced you that there is no better way to live, The Cohousing Handbook will show you how to make it happen. Hanson takes the subject matter of one chapter in Cohousing—the development process—and expands it into a complete book. His guidance is well-rooted in personal experience, and full of insightful tidbits. He spells out the process from beginning to end—from forming a group, through buying land, designing, financing, and construction, to moving in. Aimed at the neophyte developer that most cohousing members are, Hanson does a great job of demythologizing professional developers, and makes the case that working with a good one can save a group lots of time and trouble.

Hanson includes a separate chapter specifically on environmental issues in cohousing, addressing the possibilities of reducing car-dependence and the advantages of clustering houses to protect open space. Unfortunately, this chapter fails to address the importance of insulation and other design measures for energy-efficiency, and the brief section on building materials only suggests that non-toxic alternatives be considered. Aside from this oversight, however,

The Cohhousing Handbook is remarkably comprehensive —full of specific examples and checklists to make the process accessible.