“For those who yearn for a more connected future, this book is a guide for bringing the village of your dreams to life.”
--Trish Becker-Hafnor, executive director, Cohousing Association of the United States
“This sensible guide is the kind of community how-to book I love—stunningly clear, well-organized, and easy to follow—written by two of the most skilled and experienced cohousing experts in North America. The authors’ wealth of sensible, field-tested advice will improve your chances of success immeasurably and no doubt save you money, time, and heartbreak. I can’t recommend Community Led Housing highly enough for aspiring communitarians in Canada, in the US, and in other English-speaking countries too!”
--Diana Leafe Christian, communities consultant and author of Creating a Life Together
“There’s a lot written about smart cohousing design, but a book about cohousing development has been a long time coming. It stresses the importance of a can-do attitude accompanied with experienced guides. The book is a crucial point of departure—enhance it, learn from it, grow from it. I think Matthew and Critchlow’s “straight talk” will help everyone make more community in the future.”
--Charles Durrett, architect & cofounder of cohousing in North America
“The world needs this book! Community Led Housing delivers essential tools for those who dream of building a community where neighbours know, trust, and support one another. Ronaye Matthew helped bring my own community’s cohousing dream to life. In this powerful book, she and co-author Margaret Critchlow offer the wisdom to help others do the same.”
--Charles Montgomery, author, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives through Urban Design
“Ronaye Matthew is a cohousing professional who had successfully managed eleven cohousing projects. This achievement is astounding because many others have tried and not succeeded. I believe she is the leading expert in Canada. What’s even more important is that this book holds the secrets on how she has achieved that success. This book is essential for groups considering cohousing, and more importantly, this is a great guide in helping other professionals work on cohousing developments. I am grateful that she is willing to pass along all that she has learned over the years so that others may benefit.”
--Alan Carpenter, director and founder of the Canadian Cohousing Network
“Matthew and Critchlow have crafted a much needed how-to book for creating community-based housing. As people around the globe search for new ways of living to reduce our carbon imprint and enhance social relationships, documenting successful community- building is more important than ever.”
--Setha M. Low, former president of the American Anthropological Association, professor in environmental psychology, and the director of the Public Space Research Group at the City University of New York
“Community Led Housing is a beacon of inspiration for those eager to embrace a more harmonious and sustainable lifestyle. This book, guided by the profound wisdom of Matthew and Critchlow, offers a road map to community-led living, where friendships thrive and shared values flourish. Their leadership in the realm of Canadian cohousing is unparalleled, making this book an essential resource for anyone looking to embark on a journey of meaningful connection and purposeful living.”
--Neil Planchon, Founding Member Swan's Market Cohousing, Ambassador Coho/US, Director Cohousing Research Network, IC Circle Member Sociocracy for All
“In a world that struggles mightily with inequality and power-over dynamics, Matthew and Critchlow offer a blueprint for how to live more cooperatively—advice grounded in eleven successful com- munities. This book is important for anyone looking to craft viable alternatives to the squabbling and isolation that too often characterize traditional neighbourhoods.”
--Laird Schaub, experienced communitarian and group process consultant
“Community Led Housing provides an excellent overview of the cohousing development process, passing on the authors’ deep experience creating these communities. As someone who has done similar work in the US, working as a development consultant with cohousing groups across North America, it’s great to see how much we agree on… especially the strength of combining a dedicated group of homebuyers with strong, experienced professionals. The practical approach of this book makes the whole process of community-led housing more accessible to both the people who want to live in such a community and the professionals who want to develop more community-oriented housing. The eleven communities that Cohousing Development Consulting has worked with also speaks to the value of involving professionals who take the lessons learned forward to new communities. This book should inspire more professionals to do this work. I will be recommending Community Led Housing to all of my clients, both cohousing groups and the professionals that work with them.”
-- Kathryn McCamant, President Cohousing Solutions, co-founder of cohousing in North America
“As mayor, I’m glad to have supported the development of not one but two cohousing communities in our small town—Harbourside and West Wind Harbour. The ongoing actions of these engaged citizens have enriched the larger community. Cohousing projects offer great prototypes for sustainable, multifamily development. I was proud to hold my golden shovel!”
--Maja Tait, mayor of Sooke, BC
“We are so grateful to be living here at West Wind Harbour (most of the time . . . ) and we’re constantly reminded, as we look at the physical property and the positive community processes that we learned about, of all the work Margaret and Ronaye put in to make our dream come true. I’m convinced it wouldn’t have happened without them. COVID certainly added a few bumps along the way, especially for us after move-in, and as they say, life in cohousing ‘has its moments.’ But the foundation we were given is proving to be solid enough to help keep us focused on our values and willing to come to acceptable solutions.”
--Irene Todd, founding member, West Wind Harbour Cohousing