To help you figure out if Cascadia may be a good fit for you, we offer this checklist to help you identify actions you can take to get to know us, as well as areas or issues worth exploring more carefully. 

Things to Do

   Attend at least one HOA meeting.

   Join us for a community meal.

    Participate in a work party.

•         Spend time socializing informally.
•         Read the Guiding Principles (Mission, Ideals and Values).
•         Read the by-laws.
•         Read the list of consensus decisions.
•         Familiarize yourself with policies about participation, pets, and children.
•         Think about both what you hope to get out of living here, and how you can contribute.
•         Go through the rest of the information in this pre-purchase package.

Things to Know about Cohousing in General

• ·        Cohousing is more about connections between people than it is about a physical living arrangement.
• ·        Experience across many cohousing communities indicates that cohousers who eat together are generally happier with their cohousing experience and feel more connected to other members of the community than those who do not.  We have community meals scheduled twice a week.
• ·        Living in an intentional community requires interpersonal skills beyond those that are generally needed to function in other social settings (such as a typical suburban neighborhood, condo complex or office).
• ·        Conflict is an inevitable part of living in community.  Learning to work creatively with conflict is really important.
• ·        Cohousers tend to know more about each other’s lives than in an average neighborhood.  And frequently have opinions about them!

Potential Challenges of Living at Cascadia

• ·        Living at Cascadia means living in close proximity to others, usually with shared walls, ceilings or floors. 
• ·        Owners’ ability to change their physical space, both inside and out, is limited.  If specific changes are desired, you will need to make sure they are possible in light of Cascadia’s by-laws and consensus decisions.
• ·        Most socializing happens on weekends and around community meals. 
• ·        It takes time to keep the community running.  The expected level of participation is: attend HOA meetings (1-2 per month, 2-3 hours each), join at least 1 committee (3-8 hours per month), and contribute to 1 work party per month (3 hours).
• ·        We try very hard to mindfully manage our finances so as never to need a cash call.  To ensure adequate cash reserves, dues generally increase about 5% per year.  (Note: since its inception, the HOA has never had a cash call, but it still may be helpful to have finances available just in case.)
• ·        We operate by consensus, which can be hard work.  It requires patience, flexibility, creativity, and the ability to balance the best interests of the community with one’s personal needs.
• ·        Because of the energy, time and care already invested in reaching a consensus decision, renegotiating a decision later may be met with some resistance.
• ·        Blocking consensus often creates significant challenges for everyone. 
• ·        Many people would be extremely uncomfortable with a functional gun kept on the premises.  If you expect to do this, please discuss this with the community before you make an offer on a home.
• ·        The subject of outdoor pets remains somewhat controversial, primarily for reasons of nuisance (barking, cat poop and birdkill).  If you expect to have outdoor pets, please familiarize yourself with our written pet policy and talk with several people about it first.
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