Front Page Coverage by U.S.1 on Cohousing & Ecovillage NJ

Posted on Thursday, May 30, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Register for the AfterParty on June 5!

Under the banner headline “Dreaming Green,” U.S. 1’s latest issue features Ecovillage New Jersey on its front page, saying

“Ecovillage NJ Founder Steve Welzer wants to create cohousing communities where neighbors are connected, not isolated. What’s so hard about that?”

The main article, “Ecovillage NJ: Fighting for a Commune Cause,” by Michele Alperin, contains a few bloopers, but on the whole is positive, informative, and inspiring. It tells the story of Steve’s early years and of his vision of creating sustainable and meaningful eco-communities in New Jersey, and describes much of what he and others are currently doing to make this vision a reality. Despite the headline, which fails to be accurate or clever (cohousing advocates aren’t fighting, and aren’t looking to create communes), the article is well worth a full read… Continue reading →

Posted in Cohousing, Community, Cooperatives, Ecovillage, Education, Empowerment, Event Listings, History, Organization, Properties | Leave a comment

Come to the Cohousing AfterParty!

Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Register for the AfterParty on June 5!

Our June 5th event, The Cohousing Workshop: Making It Real, is sold out, and we’re now inviting people to join a waiting/interest list, and to register for the AfterParty, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the Blackthorne Pub, across the street from the New Brunswick Hyatt Regency, where the workshop will be held. More info to follow soon…

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This Saturday: Cohousing + Yoga = Community

Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Register for the After-Party on June 5!

Passionate about Sustainability and Community?

So are we, and the folks at the Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center (IYCC) share our interest in creating a better life for everyone.

Join us this Saturday to learn about the latest in developing sustainable cohousing with Architect Lynn Gaffney, and find out more about the intersection of yoga, community, and sustainability.

“Helping You Bring Neighborhoods Home”

Lynn Gaffney (Cohousing Opportunities Group)

Saturday, May 18,
2:30 – 6:30 pm
2:30-3:30: Potluck
3:30-5: Presentation  
5-6:30: Organizing Meeting

Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center
Princeton Shopping Center, 301 N. Harrison Street, Bldg A ~ Suite 1E, Princeton, NJ

RSVP HERE

Need a ride, or willing to offer one?

Can’t make it in person? Join us on Zoom after 3:30 p.m. Continue reading →

Posted in Agendas, Cohousing, Ecovillage, Event Listings, Organization, Yoga | Leave a comment

May 18: Cohousing Comes to Princeton as Architect Lynn Gaffney Kicks Off New Community Initiative

Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Saturday, May 18, 2:30 – 6:30 pm 2:30-3:30 Potluck, 3:30-5 Presentation 5-6:30 Organizing to build our first Cohousing community Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center Princeton Shopping Center, 301 N. Harrison Street, Bldg A ~ Suite 1E, Princeton, NJ

“Helping you bring neighborhoods home” is the theme of architect Lynn Gaffney’s new Cohousing Opportunities Group, a resource for those interested in “living in community” in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. On Saturday, May 18 from 3:30 -5 pm, Lynn will share her thoughts on the what, where, when, why and how these intentional cohousing communities are being built across the country.  The event is co-sponsored by Ecovillage NJ and the Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center, where it will be held. The public is invited to engage with people from Ecovillage New Jersey and the region who have been dreaming about living in cohousing. After the event, participants are welcome to join Ecovillage NJ in an organizational meeting, from 5-6:30 pm. Continue reading →

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April 13, 2019: Organizing to Get It Built

Posted on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

We’ll be hosting movement guru Chuck Durrett in June. We’ve done a lot of planning, and there’s more to do to get the word out. So, as one part of our agenda, we’ll be finalizing our plans for the June 5th Workshop.

We’ll also have with us two local leaders in the Cohousing/Ecovillage movement, Joel Rothschild and Lynn Gaffney. 

The cohousing movement started in Denmark during the 1960s. Chuck Durrett and Katie McCamant were traveling there in 1987 and became intrigued with how the concept encourages neighborly interactions and the formation of supportive/cooperative relationships between community residents. Their 1988 book, “Cohousing,” introduced this model of intentional community to Americans.

Chuck now has thirty years of experience guiding the development of over 55 cohousing communities throughout the United States. We’ll be privileged on June 5 to host his “Getting It Built” workshop in New Jersey. Download the Workshop Flyer.

Register for the Workshop now — early bird pricing until April 30.

Save that date. Meanwhile, find out more about our plans (and plan to help the planners!), and  at our April Meetup:

Saturday, April 13 … 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Trenton Free Public Library … 120 Academy Street, Trenton, NJ

Can’t make it in person? Join us on Zoom after 1 p.m.

Need a ride, or willing to offer one?

One of our members is looking for a ride from Lake Hiawatha (Parsippany-Troy Hills area) to the April 13 Meetup. If you can offer her a ride, you can see her information here.

RSVP

After networking in one of the Library’s spaces, we’ll be having our usual pot-luck luncheon and then getting down to work a little earlier than usual, by 1 pm.

Continue reading →

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This Sunday — How the Community Land Cooperative model can Revolutionize the Ecovillage/Cohousing Movement

Posted on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Join us this Sunday as Joel Rothschild of the EcoVillagers Alliance talks about EVA’s conception of how ecovillages can be owned and democratically governed as Community Land Co-ops.

Sunday, March 10, Noon to 4:00pm
***PLEASE NOTE THIS IS DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME***
2 Clerico Lane, Hillsborough NJ 08844

RSVP

Joel will report on how the cooperative model is being applied in the development of an ecovillage neighborhood in Lancaster, PA, where he lives. With affordability in mind, he’ll propose some creative approaches to making the pivot from conventional debt financing to cooperative equity ownership.

The Ecovillagers Alliance is a nonprofit coalition dedicated to cultivating CLC’s (Community Land Cooperatives) in service to ecovillage neighborhoods across the US.

Continue reading →

Posted in Agendas, Cohousing, Community, Cooperatives, Ecovillage, Ecovillagers, Finances, Investment, Organization | Leave a comment

March 10: Exploring A Better Model for Ecovillage Development

Posted on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Join us March 10 to hear about the progress being made by the Ecovillagers Alliance (EVA) toward organizing the world’s first Real Estate Investment Cooperative dedicated to establishing ecovillage neighborhoods. EVA’s unique vision is based on an exciting new model of how ecovillages can be owned and democratically governed as community land co-ops.

Sunday, March 10, Noon to 4:00pm
2 Clerico Lane in Hillsborough 08844
RSVP

We’ve all wondered how we can build affordability and participation into our dream of intentional community. Joel Rothschild, a founder of EVA, will report on how the cooperative model is being applied in the development of an ecovillage neighborhood in Lancaster, PA, where he lives.

The Ecovillagers Alliance is a nonprofit coalition dedicated to cultivating CLC’s (Community Land Co-operatives) in service to ecovillage neighborhoods across the US:

Continue reading →

Posted in Cohousing, Community, Cooperatives, Dynamic Governance, Ecovillage, Ecovillagers, Education, Finances, Organization, Sociocracy | Leave a comment

March 10: Let’s Organize an Ecovillage Co-op!

Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

Join us on Sunday, March 10, 2019 to hear about the progress being made by the Ecovillagers Alliance (EVA) toward organizing the world’s first real estate investment cooperative dedicated to establishing ecovillage cohousing neighborhoods. EVA’s unique vision is based on an exciting new model of how ecovillages can be owned and democratically governed as community land co-ops.

Sunday March 10, 2019 — Noon to 4:00pm
2 Clerico Lane, Hillsborough, NJ
RSVP Here

We’ve all wondered how we can build affordability and participation into our dream of intentional community. Joel Rothschild, a founder of EVA, will report on how the cooperative model is being applied in the development of an ecovillage neighborhood in Lancaster, PA, where he lives. Continue reading →

Posted in Agendas, Cohousing, Cooperatives, Ecovillage, Ecovillagers, Event Listings, Organization | Leave a comment

Feb 2, 2019: Interested in Cohousing within 20 miles of Hopewell?

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 by Jonathan Cloud

This Saturday at 10 a.m. (note this is different from our regular meeting time), the Hopewell Area Cohousing group will meet at Lynne Molnar’s home in Pennington.  The purpose of this meeting is take the next steps in deciding on where near the Hopewell area to investigate property. The goal  is to form a solid group of 6-8 families/households who want to move ahead with the general model of the cohousing structure.

In addition, it will be an opportunity to discuss:

Space is limited, so please come only if you are interested in cohousing in a 20-mile radius of the Hopewell area.

Pot-luck luncheon after the meeting . . . please bring a dish to share.

Saturday, February 2, 2019, 10 a.m. to Noon
56 E. Curlis Ave · Pennington, NJ

Please RSVP

For more information contact Lynne at 617-750-1632.

 

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Let’s Visit a Cohousing Community that’s Currently Under Construction

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 by Jonathan Cloud

Appleseed watercolor of Rocky Corner land & buildings

It would be of great interest to watch the development of a nearby project that has similar goals to our own. Until recently New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut were the only states in the region without an intentional community living option. But now one is being built in Connecticut:

Saturday, January 12, 2019
12:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Welcome to Rocky Corner Cohousing

Figuring that it will be instructive for us to hear about how they’re doing it and to see their site as the construction is progressing, we’ve arranged a visit for January 12 (Jan. 19 in the case of inclement weather on the 12th). This could be the first of several such visits over the coming year or two.

Carpools will be available. Please let us know if you can be a driver or need a ride.

The schedule for the day, tentatively, will be:

  • drive to New Haven in the morning (3 hours from central NJ, 2.5 hours from northern NJ)
  • gather for lunch at a diner in New Haven at Noon
  • presentation from Rocky Corner representatives (with time for Q&A) … at the New Haven library 1:00 to 3:00
  • travel from the library to see the under-construction site of the community … 3:30 to 4:30
  • dinner together in New Haven for those who want to discuss what we’ve seen … 5:00 to 6:30
  • drive home, arriving back in NJ around 9 or 9:30

There will be a limit of 20 participants, so if you’d like to go, sign up early!

RSVP to ecovillagenj [at] gmail.com or at the Meetup event page.

Posted in Carshare, Cohousing, Community, Ecovillage, Event Listings, Properties, Visit | Leave a comment