The Advantages of Community

It has become increasingly obvious, that when times are challenging, having the security of a strong community becomes very important. Unfortunately for the vast majority of Americans, we know almost no one who lives near us. This poses a great challenge as we attempt to build increasingly resilient and self reliant communities.

After a recent home owners meeting, I realize our neighborhood has a distinct advantage because I live in one of 115 cohousing neighborhoods in the U.S. These collaborative communities imported from Denmark, offer the advantages of home ownership plus the benefits of community and shared resources. Because of our intention to create a neighborhood with increased community, all of our neighbors have extensive experience working, playing, and making decisions together. Over the past 11 years, when issues come up, we have the ability to quickly connect with each other and make intelligent and long-lasting decisions.

For those of you who are not already connected to your neighbors, I strongly suggest taking steps to find out who lives around you, what skills they have, and begin to set up events where you can get together and begin the process of building a social network right where you currently live. One resource I suggest is the book Superbia: 31 Ways to Create Sustainable Neighborhoods by Dave Wann. Here you can find a wealth of ideas from simple to bold that will assist you to connect with your neighbors.

Only by connecting with one another can we move rapidly in this direction. Go out and knock on some doors. You may be pleasantly surprised who you meet.