The community has several play areas.
L Angelastro
A cohousing community is a deliberately created neighborhood which has a goal of being a close-knit yet diverse community, while at the same time valuing personal space. Individual private residences are complemented by often extensive shared facilities.
The physical layout of the community is designed to increase opportunities for spontaneous casual interaction between residents. More importantly, residents participate in community design, management, and maintenance. As residents make decisions and do the work of running the community, they learn to know, trust, and depend on one another.
For more, see Cohousing: Creating a Close-Knit Community, FAQ about Cohousing, and Related Links.
We are self-managed. We don't have a formal leader. An elected Management Committee is in charge of making sure the community's bills get paid, its taxes filed, the budget is balanced, and so on. Minor decisions are delegated to committees. Important decisions are made by the full community using consensus decision-making.
We have families with children, singles, couples, and empty-nesters. Ages range from infant to elderly. Occupations include university professor, mail carrier, computer technician, registered nurse, volunteer coordinataor for riparian restoration, secretary, and ESL teacher, among others.
The community assesses a monthly condominium association fee that varies by unit, ranging from $134 to $182. Optional expenses include common meals. Residents are responsible for their mortgage or rent, property taxes, utilities, condo insurance, and all personal expenses.
Since we are self-governing, residents are expected to attend twice-monthly community meetings and to join a community committee. Residents may opt either to do at least two hours of work per month on community chores or to pay a maintenance fee. Many residents do considerably more than two hours a month. Residents are expected to abide by all community agreements. Attendance at meals and other community social gatherings is optional.
We have a community garden where residents who wish may grow vegetables and flowers. Each resident is in charge of caring for the area immediately around their unit. See Setting for information about our climate.
Yes. A dog is expected to be under the owner's direct control when outside. The owner is responsible for cleaning up after the dog. We encourage use of dog leashes and tethers. Outdoor cats should be belled. City ordinances allow (per household) two dogs and three cats and require that dogs and cats must be registered; there is no fee to register neutered animals. Ferrets are not legal in Salt Lake City. City ordinances allow chickens and bees.
Utah as a whole is a little more than 50% Republican. Salt Lake breaks the other direction, at slightly more than 50% Democratic.
We don't choose new residents; new residents choose us. Would-be residents purchase or rent a unit. We urge people thinking about joining our community to attend several meals and meetings, meet residents, familiarize themselves with our community agreements, and spend some time asking questions before making any commitment.