Cohousing developments are thriving in B.C. and their residents, called “cohos,” are challenging notions of what family and sustainability mean
Elaine O’Connor, The Province
Published: Sunday, July 27, 2008
When Susana Michaelis was looking to buy a house she knew what she didn’t want: a home in a subdivision that was car-dependent and cut off from neighbours. So in 1996, the Nanaimo boutique owner bought a condo and was looking forward to getting to know her neighbours. Twelve years later, residents still stop her in the halls and ask when she moved in.
“I thought I was going to have community and safety. I thought I was going to know my neighbours, but I ended up knowing no one. People just went in and out of cars and in and out of suites. There were no pets allowed, no children. We couldn’t even feed the birds,” says the 55-year-old, recalling how the strata made her remove a hummingbird feeder.