Tell me more about cohousing

In Episode 31 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika share some poetry! The poems have something to do with cohousing, but really, it's an excuse to stop and share some poems.Poems mentioned:On Work by Kahlil GibranGate A-4 by Naomi Shihab NyePied Beauty by Gerard Manley HopkinsThe Arrow and the Song by Henry Wadsworth LongfellowPlanting Your Spring Garden, author unknownFor the Garden of Your Daily LivingPlant Three Rows of peas1. Peace of Mind2. Peace of Heart3. Peace of SoulPlant Four Rows of Squash1. Squash Gossip2. Squash Indifference3. Squash Grumbling4. Squash SelfishnessPlant Four Rows of Lettuce1. Lettuce be Faithful2. Lettuce Be Kind3. Lettuce Be patient4. Lettuce Really Love One AnotherNo Garden is Complete Without Turnips1. Turnip for Meetings2. Turnip for Service3. Turnip to Help One AnotherTo Conclude our Garden we Must Have Thyme1. Thyme for Each Other2. Thyme for family3. Thyme for FriendsWater Freely with patience and Cultivate with Love. There is Much Fruit In Your Garden Because You Reap What You Sow.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 29 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Tom King, the originator of the Houston cohousing group. Tom's path to cohousing has a dimension that we haven’t explored much, the spiritual aspect of the path to cohousing. He's part of a cross-cultural mediation community that brought him in contact with the idea of cohousing and that living in community is a spiritual gift. Listen in to learn more about his journey.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 29 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika replay the 2022 story of the mystery old safe that was left behind in the tear-down building on the property. Before the bulldozers knocked it down a spirit of curiosity blew through the community that lead to collective initiative to get it cracked and opened. Join the fun ride through their efforts to raise the money to open it and all the plans they had for spending the treasure that surely must be locked inside.After you've listened, you can come back here and watch the moment of the Big Reveal. Spoiler alert in case you're tempted to click before listening! For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 28 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Anna Barr, a writer and graduate student at the University of Houston. They talk about Anna's experience living in a co-op during her undergraduate years and how community informs her outlook on the creative life.  Anna brings her community building and narrative skills to teaching as well: she leads creative writing workshops at Inprint.If you'd like to learn more about Anna's classes, check out the Inprint schedule of workshops and events. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 27 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Susan Lieberman, a woman who builds community wherever she goes.... and she's been lots of places! She has "lived in nine cities, written eight books, directed four educational programs, earned three graduate degrees, raised two sons and thinks, one day, she may, perhaps, acquire a partridge in a pear tree".  So she knows something about creating connections. The unifying theme in all her work has been a desire to help people find satisfying resolutions to the situations that arise from leading busy, complicated lives and to grow into their best selves. If you'd like to learn more about Susan, check out her website. Or buy her new book,  In the Country of Old: Nine reflections from a new immigrant to the Country of Old. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 26 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika "walk through" the physical space of CoHousing Houston with the assistance of the group's new final design fly-through.  To follow along while listening to the podcast, check out the video HERE.If you'd like to see a narrated version of the fly through prepared by our archictecht, Kathleen English, check out THIS version. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 25 Steve Stelzer, Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika join the Open Journal team at KPFT, Houston's Community Radio station to explain about this new cohousing project coming to town. CoHousing Houston is the first cohousing built in all of Texas.  For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. KPFT Open Journal March 11, 2024For more Open Journal, please visit their archive. Or just tune in to kpft.org.

In Episode 24 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika discuss about how cohousing facilitates letting go of some things that our modern lives foist upon us. As Lynn puts it "this isn't about downsizing!" Instead, they look at the ways that intentional community offers an alternative. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 23 Kelli Soika visits with Laura Eldredge to discuss her upcoming book discussion about David Brooks' new book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. She talks about how the book resonates with the epidemic of loneliness and how she was touched by the content and ideas.As David Brooks observes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.” So, basically what we're trying to do with cohousing!For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 22 Kelli Soika asks Lynn Morstead for an update on her downsizing efforts. What has happened since they last talked about it on the podcast. The questions are:Update on progress made?New Tips?Noticed a Change in my relationship with things? Things I’m planning to add? Listen in to hear what Lynn has to say about her progress.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 21 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead talk about the statement Lynn picked up in a recent podcast (she cannot remember which one!) that "Community is a practice"  like meditation, or yoga, or prayer. They explore this idea as it relates to cohousing. Listen in to hear what they discover in their weekly cohousing conversation.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 20 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead invite Liz Parker, one of our community members, into the conversation to expand on a reflection Liz recently shared at a community gathering about the "Power of Invitation".  Tune in to hear what they had to say about how this has played out in their lives and how that connects to community building, as well as community life.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 19 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead review the past weekend retreat with members of their community on "Working with Conflict in Community". The workshop was lead by Laird Schaub. They talk about their personal light bulb moments and the next steps for the community. Tune in to hear how the weekend worked out. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 18 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead reflect on the contrast between how much you talk about and focus on "cohousing" while you are forming a cohousing group compared to when you are actually living in cohousing. Tune in to hear what they say about this. Compare it to your experience!For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 17 Kelli Soika introduces her new theme for 2024: The Year of the Neighbor. The first topic that Lynn Morstead and Kelli pick up on related to this theme is being "an authentic neighbor". Lynn shares a story of a situation that arose between the two of them, which might have normally lead to broken relations or at least temporarily cooled contact. In this case, Lynn decided to try a new way that is the way they are aspiring to live together in cohousing.  Tune in to hear what happened and how it worked out for them both. It's fresh and hot off the press!For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 16 It's the end of the year! Wrapping up 2023 and looking forward to 2024. Thanks for following along.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 15 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the tough questions they encounter regarding cohousing.  Building a relationship with potential new neighbors is a wonderful opportunity to ask and answer the harder questions people have about living in cohousing. "What if I don't like everyone?,"  "What about the price per square foot?," and other questions. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 14 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead interview two CoHousing Houston members, about their experience with shared, meaningful work within cohousing and in other settings. They talk about how shared work helps with getting to know people, extend the ability to get things done, and saves money.  They tackle some of the difficulties communities face in getting people to participate and the factors that come into play in a cohousing setting. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 13 Kelli Soika interviews CoHousing Houston member, Phil Berrie. Phil is the person tasked with figuring out what platform the community would like to use after move-in. They discuss the criteria for choosing a platform and some of the options available specifically for cohousing groups. They discuss Gather and Mosaic, two popular platforms designed for cohousing groups. Gather: Gather is The App for Community.Gather’s mission is to make community easier so members can focus on having fun and building relationships. Created in 2015, Gather has been host to over 500 members, $100,000 worth of shared meals, 8,000 resource reservations, and much more. Mosaic. websites for communities.Modular. Integrated. Custom. Features designed to work together and with your procedures and policies.Note: CoHousing Houston does not endorse either product and was not compensated to discuss them on this podcast. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 

In Episode 12 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead pick back up on their earlier conversation with Danny Milman, Development Manager at Urban Development Partners. They talk about the 7 things developers think about cohousers. Lynn and Kelli compiled lists of what they think developers think about. Danny brings the truth. After the podcast, Danny shared with us her list of what a cohousing group brings to the development from a developer’s point of view.In sequential order as it comes into play in the project:Early money – land, due diligence, designFocus group for the design (smaller units, ganged parking, extensive common facilities)Group support at entitlements (vs. just a developer or architect)Marketing & Sales Focus group for the bank / PresalesEquity funding for construction The intangible – doing good by building community And here is how the different development models take advantage of the benefit of having a cohousing group in the mix: UDP’s model takes advantage of all 7.Cohousing Partners (Jim Leach & Katie McCamant) put up some of the funds for #1, but then brought the group in.The Belgium developers at the cohousing conference skip the first 4 and then bring in buyers (and their money) just before construction.The British developers are bringing in funds for the #1, but still deciding on the remainder.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.