Shows
Tell me more about cohousingS4 Episode 6: Minimalism and checking in on right-sizing projectSend us a message!In Episode 6, Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika discuss how the concepts of cohousing support the tenets of minimalism. They check in on Lynn's project to right-size her physical world to match her busy and active lifestyle. Benefits of Minimalism: 21 Benefits of Owning Less 2025-07-1125 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 61: How Cohousing is different than ColivingSend us a message!In Episode 61 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead cover the 5 main areas where the cohousing and coliving models for community living differ from each other. The terms are often used interchangeably in the media as these concepts are introduced into new markets, but there are key differences that interested future residents will want to understand. In this podcast Kelli and Lynn cover these key points of distinction:OwnershipScope of private space Participation in decision-makingInvolvement in management of the propertyThe basis for community life, aka the social contract...2025-02-2115 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 24: Letting Go For the BetterSend us a message!In Episode 24 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika discuss about how cohousing facilitates letting go of some things that our modern lives foist upon us. As Lynn puts it "this isn't about downsizing!" Instead, they look at the ways that intentional community offers an alternative. For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 2024-03-1518 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 22: Lynn Answers Three Questions about DownsizingSend us a message!In Episode 22 Kelli Soika asks Lynn Morstead for an update on her downsizing efforts. What has happened since they last talked about it on the podcast. The questions are:Update on progress made?New Tips?Noticed a Change in my relationship with things? Things I’m planning to add? Listen in to hear what Lynn has to say about her progress.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or i...2024-02-2620 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 21: Community is a PracticeSend us a message!In Episode 21 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead talk about the statement Lynn picked up in a recent podcast (she cannot remember which one!) that "Community is a practice" like meditation, or yoga, or prayer. They explore this idea as it relates to cohousing. Listen in to hear what they discover in their weekly cohousing conversation.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us...2024-02-1916 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 17: Being an Authentic NeighborSend us a message!In Episode 17 Kelli Soika introduces her new theme for 2024: The Year of the Neighbor. The first topic that Lynn Morstead and Kelli pick up on related to this theme is being "an authentic neighbor". Lynn shares a story of a situation that arose between the two of them, which might have normally lead to broken relations or at least temporarily cooled contact. In this case, Lynn decided to try a new way that is the way they are aspiring to live together in cohousing. Tune in to he...2024-01-0821 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 12: Things developers think about cohousersSend us a message!In Episode 12 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead pick back up on their earlier conversation with Danny Milman, Development Manager at Urban Development Partners. They talk about the 7 things developers think about cohousers. Lynn and Kelli compiled lists of what they think developers think about. Danny brings the truth. After the podcast, Danny shared with us her list of what a cohousing group brings to the development from a developer’s point of view.In sequential order as it comes into play in...2023-11-0241 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 8: Talking about Affordable Housing with Jackie Augustine from Geneva, NYSend us a message!In Episode 8 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead interview professor, community leader, and nonprofit founder Jackie Augustine of Blueprint Geneva. Based in the upstate town of Geneva, New York, Jackie has identified cohousing as a model for engagement and cohesiveness in affordable housing. The discussion touches on how the model of cohousing can address some of the issues that affordable housing faces.Listen in to learn more.For more information about Jackie's non-profit, Blueprint Geneva, click HERE. For more information about cohousing in Houston, p...2023-09-2525 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 7: Mission Peak - Jane MuellerSend us a message!In Episode 7 Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead visit with Jane Mueller, a founding member of Mission Peak Village, a forming cohousing community in Fremont, CA. The community is the first cohousing in their town, a walkable and bikeable area located in the East Bay, near San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. The community will have a large Common House and room for gardening and other community activities.Listen in to learn more.For more information about Mission Peak Village, please visit their website at Mission Peak Village...2023-09-2121 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 6: The ride from Dreaming to Reflection with Shelly ParksSend us a message!In Episode 6 Shelly Parks returns for a 3rd visit on the podcast to talk about life post moving into her new community at Skagit Commons in Anacortes, WA. Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Shelly about the journey from Dreaming (Season 1 Episode 7: What made Shelly Parks "jump" into cohousing) to Taking Action a few weeks after they had moved in ( Season 2 Episode 24: A Slice of Life in a New Cohousing Community) to Reflection today, 7 months after moving in. She shares her fears and hopes at...2023-09-1427 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 4: From dreams to action, a visit with the national cohousing organizationSend us a message!In Episode 4 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika visit with Trish Becker, Executive Director of the Cohousing Association of the US. They ask her about the larger trends bringing people to cohousing and what people face when they decide they want a stronger sense of community. In addition to being a founding member of Aria Cohousing in Denver, CO, Trish has a background in social work and community engagement, which makes her a good resource for how people move "from dreams to action." Visit Cohousing.org.2023-09-0724 minTell me more about cohousingS3 Episode 1: "In the Air"Send us a message!In Season Three Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika will be focusing on the next phase of their cohousing development. The homes are being framed up (or 'Up in the Air" as the developers call it) and the community is getting busier in preparation for a 2024 move in. Tune into this next season to get updates on how it's going and what they are learning from others in the cohousing and intentional community world.For more information about cohousing in Houston, please check out our website at...2023-08-1410 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 38: How to shorten Development Cycles - with Danny Milman at UD+PSend us a message!In Episode 38 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Danny Milman, Development Manager at Urban Development Partners. Danny has a long history with cohousing starting with her masters thesis, a design and planning case study for a cohousing community in Austin TX. Today she is partnering with cohousing development projects, in her role at UD+P, to help them build new communities, They talk about the places where cohousing groups get stuck and explore ideas around how to avoid or overcome these challenges.Fi...2023-07-0647 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 37: "Fat Tailed Projects" and other adventures in being a forming cohousing communitySend us a message!In Episode 37 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about what happens between the start and end of a forming cohousing group. Most cohousing starts and ends -essentially- as a social club. You meet for meals, go do fun things together, get to know each other: at first somewhere around town and at the end, in your Common House. In between, you have a significant project. Lynn and Kelli talk about ways communities can reduce the variability in their projects, including:Modularized development componentsRepeatable processesDefined phases of th...2023-06-2928 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 36: What I learned at a Conflict Resolution training - Liz ParkerSend us a message!In Episode 36 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Liz Parker about her take-aways from a recent Conflict Resolution training with Laird Schaub. Liz has 33 years of experience dealing with conflict in communities that include training, policy development and facilitating conflict situations. She found new, dynamic ideas in Laird's training that she shares with us in the podcast, such as:Naming the "red line" (distortion / distress)The "fire hose" analogy Dyads leading to specific actionsGo...2023-06-2335 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 35: In the Mud - On the Dirt - In the AirSend us a message!In Episode 35 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about how the 3 phases of development parallel 3 phases of building a community.Listen in to hear more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 2023-06-1420 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 34: Beginning of Summer Update from HoustonSend us a message!In Episode 34 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika give an update of what's happening with the project, from construction to member turnover to social connections and reflections on how a destination wedding gave a glimpse into community life.Listen in to hear more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. 2023-06-0317 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 33: Hanging out at Moon TowerSend us a message!In Episode 33 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika are developing their "hang out" muscles at Moon Tower in the East End of Houston on a Friday evening. They return to the topic of "hanging out" from a recent Ezra Klein Show episode - they discussed "The Hang Out Factor" on April 20th. The topic keeps coming up again for them, so they are coming back for more reflections. They are joined by Kelli's teen daughters and Lynn's husband. Listen in to hear more.For mor...2023-05-2015 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 32: Interview with our Developer, David KelleySend us a message!In Episode 32 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview their developer, David Kelley. They wanted to get an update from David since the last interview during the pandemic in August 2021 - Episode 24: Development during the pandemic explained. They talk about:How’s it going?What are the differences in being a developer in cohousing versus one building in a regular market scenario?What have been your surprises along the way?If you were to do another project, what would you do differently to-date?Listen in to lea...2023-05-1132 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 30: The Hang Out FactorSend us a message!In Episode 30 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika debrief their reactions to the April 18th Ezra Klein Show podcast:The ‘Quiet Catastrophe’ Brewing in Our Social LivesThe Ezra Klein ShowHe interviews Sheila Liming, an associate professor of communications and creative media at Champlain College about her new book “Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time.” It really resonates with WHY so many of us are searching for something like cohousing, so Lynn & Kelli decided to have a conversat...2023-04-2125 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 29: 15 Minute NeighborhoodSend us a message!In Episode 29 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika take a walk through their new neighborhood and discover wonderful destinations all within 15 minutes of home!The 15- minute neighborhood concept has caught our eye recently. We wondered what would be accessible on foot from our cohousing community, so we made a date and set out on foot one morning to see what we could learn. If you want to follow along, get your Google map ready and start at 114 Delmar, Houston, Texas 77011. We’re going to head north and east first. On...2023-04-1112 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 28: The Cohousing UpliftSend us a message!In Episode 28 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika take a look at cohousing through two different lenses.Lynn reflects on the many ways in which our lives have been made easier by devices like auto correct, eBikes, cars that parallel park, etc. and how cohousing is yet another way of making our run more smoothly in our modern world. Kelli talks about how the rough edges of modern life can be blunted by cohousing because our rough edges are isolation. Some of the perceived inconveniences of cohousing actually serve to re...2023-03-2821 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 27: From "Dolt" to "Teacher" what's the pathSend us a message!In Episode 27 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika explore what it takes to learn how to adopt new ways of participating in community that are different from what most of us have learned up to this point. They look at this learning curve through the lens of "The Four Stages of Competence". They rename the stages:Unconscious incompetence to "dolt"Conscious incompetence to "seeker" or "flummoxed"Conscious competence to "student"Unconscious competence to "teacher"Listen in to learn more about their journey back and forth through these stages in...2023-03-2129 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 26: Moving in at Haystack Heights with Bob FrancisSend us a message!In Episode 26 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Bob Francis about his family's move into Haystack Heights, in Spokane, Washington. His family was part of the first wave to move into their community after several years of planning. He shares some of the mechanics of the move-in process, personal experiences with the start-up and what they are focusing on today, 18 months later.Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us k...2023-03-1436 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 25: Interview with member ValentinaSend us a message!In Episode 25 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview a member, Valentina Hoyos, about her journey to cohousing, how this concept was something they had been talking about before they found out that it was being built in Houston. It feels very familiar to the environment she grew up in, in her home country of Colombia. She shares her experience of how our forming cohousing community has supported her and her family even before we all move in together. Listen in to learn more.Fo...2023-03-1018 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 22: Organic Friendships in AdulthoodSend us a message!In Episode 22 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about making new friends in adulthood. Inspired by Marisa Fanco's TED Talk about her book, Platonic, here are some of the key take-aways from her talk that they dig into deeper:"Collective connections are needed to make you feel whole"“For friendships to happen organically you need to have repeated unplanned interactions and shared vulnerability”“Transitioners” - are more likely to engage in new connections“The Exposure effect" - we tend to like pe...2023-02-1418 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 21: What ChatGPT (Open AI) has to say about cohousingSend us a message!In Episode 21 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika kick the tires on the new Open AI large language model, ChatGPT, by asking it some questions about living in community and then critiquing the answers.The questions they ask are:How do you screen people for an intentional community? What should you do if someone joins your intentional community, and you don’t get along with them? Does consensus decision-making really work?Are the optimal conditions for successful cons...2023-02-1226 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 20: How to shop for cohousingSend us a message!In Episode 20 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Bryn Kanar from Sata Cruz, California, who has embarked on a search for a cohousing community to move to when he retires. Bryn attended one of Houston's recent information sessions on his journey through the various communities that meet his family's initial criteria.They discussed:If you’ve visited with one group, have you “seen one, seen them all”? What role does geography play for you?What is it like to envision living somewhe...2023-02-0120 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 19: What do Whataburger and cohousing have in common?Send us a message!In Episode 19 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the challenge of explaining what cohousing feels like. Lynn relates this to the scene in "Vengeance", a 2022 comedy mystery movie where BJ Novak, a hip podcaster from NYC is interviewing a family in small-town West Texas trying to get them to explain what's so special about Whataburger. It isn't until BJ visits Whataburger several times with the family that the special qualities of Whataburger are gradually revealed to him. Lynn & Kelli continue to explore approaches to h...2023-01-2415 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 18: Downshifting into CohousingSend us a message!In Episode 18 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about how cohousing and living in a closer community might serve to downshift the pace of life for those in the community. They refer to recent books related to the topic of how we perceive time: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver BurkemanThe Seven Day Circle: The History and Meaning of the Week by Eviatar Zerubavel Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check o...2023-01-1722 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 17: Making sense of downsizing in cohousingSend us a message!In Episode 17 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika reflect on their take-aways related to cohousing from the two recent interviews on downsizing and decluttering with Michelle Passoff, author of LIGHTEN UP! Free Yourself From Clutter, and Sharon Staley, FASID, RID of Sharon Staley Interiors. It wasn't the practical tips and tricks that they are still turning over in their minds, rather the non-tangible benefits that they connected with such as releasing energy to pursue life goals, deeper c...2023-01-1021 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 16: Designing for Small Spaces with Sharon StaleySend us a message!In Episode 16 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Sharon Staley, FASID, RID of Sharon Staley Interiors in Houston, Texas. They talk about the emotional journey of moving into smaller spaces and what it feels like when you arrive at that new place. Sharon also shares many design insights about smaller spaces that surprised us! Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if y...2023-01-0324 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 15: The Cohousing Crystal BallSend us a message!In Episode 15 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika look back at how much has been accomplished since this time last year and then take a brave and speculative look into the future that will be the year 2023. They each bring their take on CoHousing Houston predictions for 2023. They look at these from varying degrees of confidence, starting with High confidence, then Medium and finally Low confidence. It's a fun ride to close out an amazing 2022.Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project...2022-12-2826 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 12: Applying "Rules of Civility" to CohousingSend us a message!In Episode 12 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about their reactions to "Choosing Civility: 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct", written by P.M.Forni. The conversation originally started via texting over Thanksgiving after Kelli shared a blog post on the topic with Lynn from the Seattle Times: Want to be a better person? Here are 25 rules of civility.Looking through the lens of living in community, they share their personal favorites, how these resonated with them, and sprinkle in some real-life stories f...2022-12-0634 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 11: Facilitating Conflict in cohousingSend us a message!In Episode 11 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about what they've learned about facilitating conflict in cohousing over the past few years in their forming community. They have grouped the conflict types into 4 categories. For each one they describe what they've experienced and how they have tried to help facilitate this.Chaos conflictAnxiety conflictTriggered conflictDeep and Real conflictListen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments o...2022-11-3029 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 10: Is cohousing right for you?Send us a message!In Episode 10 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika are back again with another quiz. This time they walk through a quiz on "How do I know cohousing is right for me". There are many on the internet, they just picked one at random to go through. How would you answer these questions?Listen in to find out what they are.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by...2022-11-2221 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 9: #vanlife with Beni & PareshSend us a message!In Episode 9 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview community members Beni & Paresh about their recent several month adventure across the country in their experiment with a home on wheels. They worked and played and visited old friends on their quest to check off all the National Parks. In the process they learned a lot about what they really needed to be happy and the benefits of living in smaller spaces with less stuff.Click here to see what their vehicle looks like: The Plateau TSListen in to l...2022-11-1517 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 8: Are you an Ecovillage?Send us a message!In Episode 8 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about how their Houston community measures up against an assessment questionnaire that helps you determine if you are an Ecovillage. We’ve been working through our values and one of our values is sustainability. That brought up the question as to whether we are an eco village, so Kelli went searching for a definition and found a questionnaire that we work our way through in this podcast. We were surprised at the outcome of our assessment! Maybe you will be too.Take...2022-11-0829 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 7: Community Living at its Best with Karin HoskinSend us a message!In Episode 7 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Karin Hoskin from Wild Sage Cohousing community in Boulder, Colorado. Lynn met Karin when she attended her talk on "Community Living at its Best" at the Madison National Cohousing Conference in August, 2022. She was so fired up about all the community and relationship building activities they plan at Wild Sage that she wanted to have her share these with our listeners.Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.co...2022-11-0131 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 6: Downsizing with June & BobSend us a message!In Episode 6 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview members June and Bob Woest about a recent downsizing exercise they did with their adult children. It's a very touching and informative conversation that offers some new ideas on how to get started, and what it's going to be like to go through this process.Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us a...2022-10-2524 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 5: Spectrum of intentional communities - Interview with Cynthia TinaSend us a message!In Episode 5 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Cynthia Tina, founder of "Community Matchmaking" and former trustee and Co-Director of the Foundation for Intentional Community. She has visited over 200 communities across the world. They explore the different models of intentional communities in the US, from ecovillages, to co-living, cohousing and more. You can find a guide of the common types of communities and their definitions on Cynthia's website here: https://cynthiatina.com/community-types/ Listen in to learn more. For more information about our project, please check out...2022-10-1926 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 4: Abundant AbundanceSend us a message!In Episode 4 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about the different kinds of abundance that brings about community. We were inspired by an Atlas Obscura podcast on the Libre Intentional Artist Community: an interview with Luz Fleming on the place where he grew up—Libre, one of the longest lasting intentional communities that still exists. Luz Fleming's mother was one of the founders of an artists’ intentional community in Colorado back in the 60’s. The final question in the podcast was: could you recreate that today? And her answer was that t...2022-10-1518 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 3: An Enneagram 3 & a 7 walk into a cohousing meeting….Send us a message!In Episode 3 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about the introduction to explore their Enneagram at their cohousing Fall Retreat weekend. Wikipedia defines it as "a model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types." As our member facilitator guided our group through an introduction of each type we each made personal discoveries and took time to reflect how these impact our interactions with the group. The conversation has spilled over beyond the weekend and into many of our...2022-10-0725 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 2: Thinking about TransitionsSend us a message!In Episode 2 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Lew Bowers from PDX Commons cohousing community in Portland, Oregon. As CoHousing Houston begins construction and brings in the last waves of members, Lew helps them think through integration of the new members and the changing requirements for community leadership.Listen in to learn more.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com. M...2022-09-2825 minTell me more about cohousingS2 Episode 1: Beginning a New PhaseSend us a message!Welcome to Season 2! We're pivoting from design and financing to building. A new phase means a new season of Tell Me More. In Episode 1 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about what it means to move into this new era of the CoHousing Houston project and make some predictions about what's to come. Also, we check in about Lynn's downsizing project. Spoiler alert: she has some work to do :)For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com. Let us k...2022-09-2317 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 74: Start a Car Share Program - with Janet MurphySend us a message!In Episode 74 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Janet Murphy, member of Arboretum Cohousing in Madison, Wisconsin. Janet has lived there since everyone moved in 14 yrs ago this fall. It’s multigenerational, comprising 40 households, 90 people, about 20 children. .We talked about the car share program, called CoCar, that she spearheaded getting organized for her community. We try to cover all the topics others might be interested in asking about, such as:How did the program get startedWhat were the concerns, questions and inspirations for doing thisHow was it fi...2022-06-2830 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 73: Building a Custom Neighborhood - with Jim LeachSend us a message!In Episode 73 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Jim Leach, president of Wonderland Hill Development Company. He has led the company in developing over 20 cohousing communities in Colorado, California, Arizona, and Washington. He is a builder with over 50 years of experience in the design, construction and development of sustainable, planned neighborhoods.We talk about "building a custom neighborhood": How he first got involved in cohousing as a developer in the late 1980s.How they developed the first models for financing, co-designing and co-developing with the future community ho...2022-06-2122 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 72: Landscaping for connection and sustainabilitySend us a message!In Episode 72 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Carolyn White, a member of our community and active participant on the Landscaping Team. We talk about: How their team is designing for connection and sustainability.How they are incorporating the principles of One Health The Landscaping mission that is guiding their planning: "Landscape Team will guide the CoHousing Houston community through planning, design, installation, and maintenance of landscape features, plantings, and gardens to co-create an amazing greenspace for all."Listen in to find out more...2022-06-1421 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 70: Building the life you want with Rachel ClaretSend us a message!In Episode 70 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview Rachel Claret, one of the community's newer members. Rachel talks about her path to cohousing and the signals along the way that made it very clear to her that this was the right next move for her.Listen in to find out more about our conversation, or register for one of our upcoming Zoom information sessions at https://www.cohousinghouston.com/events.For more information about our project, please check out our website at www.cohousinghouston.com2022-06-0122 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 69: Summertime ... summertime ... summertime in cohousingSend us a message!In Episode 69 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika hold a conversation about what life is like in a cohousing community over the summer months. Summer rites of passage (graduations, returning from college)Summer holidays from Memorial Day to July 4th to Labor DayLeaving your home for a longer tripActivities with kidsGardeningCelebrations and traditionsParticipating in other city and neighborhood activitiesListen in to find out more about our conversation, or register for one of our upcoming Zoom information sessions at https://www.cohousinghouston.com/events.For more information ab...2022-05-2022 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 68: The paradox of choosing community vs. location / designSend us a message!In Episode 68 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika hold a conversation about the paradigm shift in how we decide where to live. Cohousers prioritize community versus location or design, which is a novel concept here in Houston, Texas. They conclude that cohousing holds open the space of considering the value of community and people often tie this concept back to something they know and understand from their own experience. It’s not location, it’s not design, it’s the people.Listen in to find out more about our conversation, or registe...2022-05-1118 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 67: An interview with Laird Schaub, a seasoned consensus decision-making coachSend us a message!In Episode 67 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika continue their conversation about consensus decision making by bringing in an acknowledged expert, Laird Schaub, an author and coach whose involvement with the Foundation for Intentional Community has made him a leading expert in the field. The discussion begins with an explanation of cooperative culture and how it compares to a competitive environment and then they explore specific scenarios navigated by communities, including:Gathering information in a way that moves consensus forward,What happens when individuals listen and are heard,The roles of...2022-05-0337 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 66: How an idea becomes an agreement using consensus processSend us a message!In Episode 66 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about how an idea becomes an agreement using a consensus process. Broken down into 5 steps, Lynn and Kelli talk about how a small group and the plenary work together to find common ground. They cover:Step 1- Defining the case for actionStep 2- Collecting criteria and listening to the community.Step 3- Working out an agreement that meets the community's needs.Step 4- Coming to consensus.Step 5- Wrap it up Listen in to find out more about our conversation, or...2022-04-2740 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 65: A visit with Village Hearth CoHousingSend us a message!Finally moving in after 5 years of planning and hard work! Village Hearth CoHousing resident, Margaret Roesch visits with Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika. They discuss the triumphs, surprises, connections, and lessons learned from moving into a new cohousing community. Listen in to find out more. Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www.cohousinghouston.com.2022-04-2037 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 64: REPLAY: What makes a good Explorer?Send us a message!In Episode 64 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika discuss what they've observed about Explorers, who join their community to determine whether this is the right thing for them. They talk about the clarifying experience for so many Explorers, when they take their due diligence seriously. They figure out their next move. Sometimes it's cohousing in Houston and other times it's something completely different. Listen in to find out more. Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: ww...2022-04-1515 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 63: In House Experts: Rank-Choice VotingSend us a message!In Episode 63 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview our member Jan Van Louizen about rank-choice voting and other methods that assist consensus decision making.They cover:What is rank-choice voting and how does it work.Where it is useful in a cohousing community where consensus decision-making is normally the approachExamples of where this has been used in CoHousing HoustonThoughts on weighted voting and when that might be useful.Listen in to find out more about our conversation, or register for one of our upcoming Zoom information sessions at ...2022-04-0624 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 62: Let's Talk About the Treasurer RoleSend us a message! In Episode 62 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika interview the Treasurer, Kip Krause, about his role in our development project.They cover:The responsibilities covered and how these are shared with the developer.What tasks are outside of the Treasurer role.How this role works with the Finance, Legal and Development (FLD) team.What skills are required.What are some of the lessons learned.The important aspects of a Treasurer role in a cohousing community, such as transparency, while also preserving confidentiality when needed.Listen in to find out mo...2022-03-2925 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 61: Let's Talk About Kids in CohousingSend us a message! In Episode 61 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika pick up the topic of kids in cohousing. They cover:How to involve kids in shared workHow they transition from small tasks into becoming part of the conversationHow kids raised in cohousing find their voice in adult groups more quickly through more frequent encounters and the ability to sit in on more adult conversationsHow the group works to define agreements around how to protect the relationships between adults and children so everyone is safeListen in to find out more about our...2022-03-2323 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 59: An Introduction to CoHousing HoustonSend us a message!In Episode 59 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika give an introduction to CoHousing Houston. We cover what we typically share in one of our public Zoom information sessions:How we're organized under the CoHousing Houston LLCThe composition of the membershipOur timelineHow we do work together and make decisionsOur plans for green building and sustainable livingKey facts about the project in terms of size, location and pricesHow you can find out more by becoming an ExplorerListen in to find out more about our conversation, or register for one of ou...2022-03-0943 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 58: A Danish Farm and a Canadian Fire Hall spark a passion for communitySend us a message! In Episode 58 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview one of our podcast listeners who reached out to us earlier this year. Nick Michelsen, a fire fighter in Edmonton, Canada, started listening to our podcast after reading about a new cohousing community in Edmonton. He was curious what else he could find about cohousing in a podcast search on "cohousing". Our podcast popped up and he's been a regular listener ever since!We wanted to interview Nick about his experiences that have sparked his passion for community and cohousing as a way...2022-03-0233 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 56: The Pesky Price Per Square Foot QuestionSend us a message! In Episode 56 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the pesky "price per square foot" question that comes up when people attempt to evaluate a cohousing purchase based on the price per square foot alone. They talk about the tangible and intangible factors that may be overlooked or hard to quantify when making such a direct comparison.This podcast also links to Episode #57, an interview with our member, Susan Daniels, on her road to cohousing. Susan talks about her own way to look at the costs vs. value and ho...2022-02-2312 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 55: Thoughts on “Why Consensus”Send us a message! In Episode 55 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about some of the challenges and benefits of making consensus based decisions. The inspiration for this topic came from Lynn's participation in a 5-week training course on Consensus for Cooperative Groups, hosted by the Foundation for Intentional Communities being taught by Laird Schaub. This comes after the first week class only! So watch this space for more insights from Laird's sharing of his deep experience over the next four weeks.Listen in to find out more about our conversation. For more info...2022-02-1520 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 54: Interview with Nancy Rielle on her "Intergenerational Cohousing Walkabout"Send us a message! In Episode 54 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Nancy Rielle, who we met earlier this year when her cross-country "Intergenerational Cohousing Walkabout" brought her to Texas. We talk aboutHow this journey startedWhat was the plan, and how did COVID redefine thingsHow did the different communities along the way respond to her request to visitWhat are her key take-aways from this first trip out to see the cohousing worldWe take a side trip into the importance of eating together in communityThe next stage of the journey as things open up aga...2022-02-0927 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 53: Eli Escobar from Audacy Radio's "Eye on Houston" interviews Kelli and LynnSend us a message!Listen to Eye On Houston's interview of Kelli and Lynn on Audacy Houston's weekly Public Affairs program.Eli Escobar interviewed Kelli Soika and Lynn Morstead from Co-Housing Houston. A new residential community concept is set to break ground in the thriving and historic East End Houston. A cohousing community is intended to provide its residents unique benefits, such as fostering a profound sense of belonging by sharing a common purpose. Isolation is minimized through a physical and social design that naturally facilitates community interaction. Residents may also share the cost of ev...2022-02-0722 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 52: My road to cohousing - an Interview with PD WadlerSend us a message!In Episode 52 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk with CoHousing Houston member PD Wadler about his road to cohousing and some of his experiences of cohousing to-date. PD reflects on the various threads that lead him to this decision, from visiting friends who live in cohousing in Massachusetts, to the difference between a chosen and family of origin and how COVID has awakened all of us to the importance of an interconnected life.Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.2022-01-3122 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 51: From Kitchen Table to Groundbreaking: Honoring a MilestoneSend us a message!In Episode 51 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika take a moment to reflect on the Jan 21, 2022 long-awaited and first in Texas cohousing groundbreaking.Topics we cover are:A short message from one of our esteemed speakers, State Senator Carol Alvorado, District 6.The highlights of the dayThe surprises, from glorious weather to huge turnout from near and far What were the "must repeat" next time we hold a big event on the siteWhat would be want to improve on next timeReflections on how this day has launched the ne...2022-01-2524 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 49: How cohousing improves Houston's livability visionSend us a message!In Episode 49 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Margaret Wallace Brown, Director of the City of Houston Planning & Development Department. They discuss urban planning in Houston and how CoHousing Houston fits into the vision for the city. Topics we cover are:Background on the city's dominant housing options and the uniqueness of cohousing being introduced into this limited set. How cohousing aligns with Houston's vision for building stronger communities.The CoHousing Houston project supports the Planning & Development Department's goals for walkability, use of public transportation, use of city amenities, urban infi...2022-01-1123 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 48: Cohousing - A solution for the futureSend us a message!In Episode 48 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Sophy Botsford, a 5th year architecture student at Oxford Brookes University, UK about her cohousing project. Sophy's project is about developing a series of intergenerational cohousing communities in Camden, London designed for the year 2050. We discuss:The aims of the project: improve mental and physical health, develop a framework to make it easier for cohousing communities to be developed.The characteristics of her project: urban, intergenerational, sustainable, community inputA holistic approach to planning for the future informed by the Arup 2050 Scenarios (link: htt...2022-01-1017 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 47: How to get to Cohousing: What's the Roadmap?Send us a message!In Episode 47 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about how you find your way to cohousing. There's a roadmap you can follow that will lead you to cohousing. Take the first step today by listening to this podcast.They cover:The 5 steps to getting from "Hearing about it" to "Moving in"The Explorer experience for test-driving a community before committingCohousing is about choosing a neighborhood with neighbors rather than a piece of real estate.You can find the roadmap artwork in their latest newsletter here: January Newsletter: Exciting News for 2022...2022-01-0321 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 45: How work gets done in CoHousing HoustonSend us a message! In Episode 45 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about how their community is structured to support all the activities that constitute the work needed to bring this project to life. They cover:The current teams, such as Finance, Legal and Development, Process, Marketing, Membership, Neighborhood Engagement, Social and CoordinatingVolunteer teams vs. Nominated teamsHow the work shifts as the project stage shiftsThe meeting cadence and logisticsWhat are the possible future teams as they shift from physical architecture planning to social design Listen in to find out more. Let us know if yo...2021-12-2034 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 44: Cohousers celebrate so much more than the rest of us!Send us a message!In Episode 44 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the results of an informal survey across cohousing communities in the US on what kinds of things they celebrate. Some of the cool discoveries they discuss are:Fashion paradesFiddlin’ and pickin’ musical potlucksNo-Talent showsGuess who's coming to dinner partiesSummer OlympicsHat partiesand so much more ...It seems that cohousers find so many more creative ways to come together and celebrate life. Listen in to find out more. Let us know if you have any comments or ideas by emailing us at i...2021-12-1520 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 43: Community and Mental HealthSend us a message!In Episode 43 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Dr. Stacey Pisklak, a general psychiatrist, with a special interest in connections. Due to technical difficulties during the original recording, this podcast comprises a collection of the golden nuggets we were able to capture interspersed with some post-recording reflections by Lynn and Kelli.Some of the key topic areas they cover in this episode are:The power of morning ritualsWhat is isolation and how do we recognize itHow mirror neurons play a role in our connections to each otherHow we co-regulate and c...2021-12-0637 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 42: Generational hurdles for living in communitySend us a message! In Episode 42 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the hurdles and barriers that people bring up when considering the possibility of cohousing. They also talk about their personal journey in dealing with these challenges.Some of the key topic areas they cover in this episode are:Downsizing - too hard or don't want to let goOverscheduled lives - giving up time for communityPrivacy - will people walk into my house without knocking? Don't want to live with my parents - living with different generationsPets - how to accommodate them in...2021-11-3036 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 39: Intergenerational CoHousingSend us a message!In Episode 39 Kelli Soika & Lynn Morstead talk to Rosemary, a CoHousing Houston member who has lived in cohousing and chose to move to Houston to be closer to her grandchildren. Rosemary and Kelli talk about how people of different ages live and work together.Some of the dimensions of intergenerational living include:Different ages bring different skills....And different needs.How intergenerational living in cohousing is different from living with your own family.Let us know if this sparks any thoughts for you by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.c...2021-11-0816 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 37: Think Globally, Act Locally - How cohousing makes that possibleSend us a message! In Episode 37 Kelli Soika & Lynn Morstead talk about how cohousing increases your ability and the likelihood that you can live out a "Think Globally, Act Locally" approach to life. Cohousing makes this possible through: Moving from the aspirational to the actionableComing together to take on projects you wouldn't be able to do on your ownBringing together different skills and experiencesLearning from each otherStretching beyond where we know to go on our ownExposing our children to a wider group of adults with different backgrounds and careers.Let us know if you...2021-10-2522 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 36: Questions about participation levels in a forming communitySend us a message!In Episode 36 Kelli Soika & Lynn Morstead talk about one of the 4 P's in community (Pets, Parking, Parenting and Participation). "Participation" is on their minds today. They ask themselves lots of questions about participation during the formation stages of a community. Not as many answers as usual, so your thoughts in an email (info@cohousinghouston.com) or a comment on our blog post would make this a richer dialogue. Here are some of the questions they muse on:We are participating at different levels - will that stay the sa...2021-10-1825 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 35: Putting "better together" into actionSend us a message!In Episode 35 Kelli Soika & Lynn Morstead reflect on the weekend events with the members and explorers. CoHousing Houston held their first community baby shower and first community work day.They talk about how these events were different by having so many different people involved. CoHousing Houston is already experiencing the benefits of a strong community in these areas:Organizing is more robustDoing MORE than we would have on our ownBringing together different skills Taking advantage of different resources and toolsGreater wealth of ideasBuilt-in redundancy and backupFun and connectedness Pride - a s...2021-10-1115 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 34: Board Structures outside Cohousing - Interview with Jane SchmittSend us a message!In Episode 34 Kelli Soika & Lynn Morstead interview Jane Schmitt as part of their quest to gather more perspectives on board structures and sizes. Jane has no cohousing experience other than what she has read about in the Houston press and heard about from two of the founding members of CoHousing Houston, Lynn & Kip.Jane's background:Jane was a VP of Cooper Cameron before retiring and becoming President of the Stages Theatre board in Houston. She also lives in a large high-rise condo, where her husband serves on the b...2021-10-0737 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 32: Why Forming Cohousing Communities need Professionals on the teamSend us a message!In Episode 32 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk the importance of professionals in a cohousing development project.They cover:What do we mean by professionals?Organizing help: Cohousing consultant / Developer Physical Architecture: Architects / Landscape designerSocial Architecture: Marketing / Process strategy / Meeting facilitationWhat are these professionals important?Saves time, money, mistakesHow do you find them and hire them?Cohousing.org conferences & website500 CommunitiesLocal Architect and Developer helps with local contactsOther communitiesTips for engaging and managing professional relationships.Clear roles & responsibilitiesStanding meetings a...2021-09-2727 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 31: Every day Encounters and why they matterSend us a message!In Episode 31 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about one of the principle tenets of cohousing, the "Everyday Encounter".They cover:What does an everyday encounter look like and feel like.Where are these most likely to happen and when.Why are these so important to our general well being.What aspects of our physical design contribute to making everyday encounters more likely to happen.Why are cohousing everyday encounters different than the neighborhood where we live today?The cohousing everyday encounter is key building a 'small-town mindset' about...2021-09-2319 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 30: Marketing cohousing to traditional buyersSend us a message!In Episode 30 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the challenges of marketing a cohousing concept to a traditional buyer.They cover:The "upside down" development nature of a cohousing development."Trads" vs "rads".Principles for dealing with traditional buyers:Meet people where they areDon't withhold informationKeep the conversation goingInvite to community eventsModel good community behaviorsHighlight what stays the sameCapture hearts and imagination by telling the story of cohousingShare cohousing anecdotesConnect some cohousing stories with people's experiences outside cohousing so they can extrapolate to a cohousing experienceDon't >>LectureGet frustratedForget that w...2021-09-1316 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 29: Finding the words to talk about community ... or an "-ism" that works for you!Send us a message!In Episode 29 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Clay Zdobylak.Clay covers a lot of ground for us in this interview:Clay has identified a link between communitarianism and cohousing ... we wanted to know what "communitarianism" is and how he he sees aspects of this in cohousing.Wikipedia says: "Communitarianism is a philosophy that emphasizes the connection between the individual and the community. Its overriding philosophy is based upon the belief that a person's social identity and personality are largely molded by community relationships, with a smaller degree...2021-09-0326 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 28: The Value of Slowing DownSend us a message!In Episode 28 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the value of slowing down in life.We're all thinking about hurricanes this week on the Gulf coast and in our cohousing community we're finalizing our budget. The budget process has been slow and arduous but we've brought it to a solid and well-supported conclusion. At the same time many recent hurricanes have stalled out in the Gulf and packed a harder punch when they make landfall.Slowing down happens on a daily basis in cohousing:Provides space for...2021-08-3113 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 27: Putting your money where your heart isSend us a message!In Episode 27 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the opportunity that cohousing offers to get serious about your aspirations for a better life and actually put these into practice.We often talk about grand ideals, but so often fail to put them into action. Cohousing is a place where things can, and do, really happen:Building an intentional community means showing up every day to live out your valuesIntergenerational livingSmaller footprintShared resourcesExpanded social and emotional connectionsBeing more activeInoculation against isolationHaving an immediate local impact beyond the walls of our...2021-08-2319 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 26: Doing Work Together in CohousingSend us a message!In Episode 26 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika talk about the "Doing Work Together", one of the 3 keys to cohousing.They talk about the questions that we get asked about the shared work component to living in cohousing. How is it structured? What if I'm not skilled or able? What if people don't participate? Listen in to their conversation to learn more.Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www.cohousinghouston.com. 2021-08-1621 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 25: Going Deeper into Cohousing Development with Katie McCamantSend us a message! In Episode 25 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview Katie McCamant from Cohousing Solutions, our cohousing consultant, about the unique aspects of developing a cohousing project.Katie covers a broad range of topics related to launching, organizing, financing and developing a cohousing project based on her 30+ years experience helping cohousing communities come to life. Katie closes with a message that she considers CoHousing Houston to be "unstoppable". We will get there! Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.2021-08-0625 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 24: Development during the pandemic explainedSend us a message!In Episode 24 Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika interview David Kelley, CoHousing Houston member and developer.They cover the role of a developer in a cohousing project, how this is different from a traditional development project and how the 2021 construction world is different than anything he's experienced in his many decades as a developer. David closes this with a message of confidence that CoHousing Houston will get this project off the ground and why. Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.2021-08-0222 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 23: What's this Common House really all about?Send us a message!In Episode 23 Lynn Morstead interviews Kelli Soika and Rosemary Lowden, current CoHousing Houston members, who have 14 years lived experience in cohousing communities between them.They chat about the essence of the "secret sauce" that is the magical common house at the heart of a cohousing community.Listen in to hear their stories and reflections on how the common house adds to the rich experience of living in cohousing.Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information...2021-07-2724 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 22: The wilderness and the good news about Value EngineeringSend us a message! In Episode 22 Kelli Soika interviews Lynn Morstead about what's been happening since CoHousing Houston received the estimates from the General Contractor.They talk about how the community is dealing with the higher than expected estimates, from an individual and community perspective, as well as the process steps they are taking to tackle the delta. It's a few minutes longer than the usual weekly podcast, but it's worth a listen!Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For mo...2021-07-2031 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 20: Shared WorkSend us a message!In Episode 20 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about what "shared work" looks like in a cohousing community. Kelli breaks it down into the different types of work and what you can expect from participating in community through working together.Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www.cohousinghouston.com. 2021-07-0512 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 19: What is Value Engineering?Send us a message!In Episode 19 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about the current phase of their forming community, which is something they are calling "Value Engineering".Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www.cohousinghouston.com. 2021-06-2817 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 17: Voices of Cohousing Houston and Summer Explorer SeriesSend us a message!In Episode 17 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika share some of the post-vaccination events now happening face-to-face, or in "3-D" as they call it. They taped several of the community members and explorers answering the question "What is cohousing".They also give a brief overview of the upcoming Summer Explorer Series, which they describe as a compressed, efficient summer-school-like experience to help people find out if cohousing and this group might be something in their future.Listen in to find out more and how you can join in.Let...2021-06-1409 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 16: Building everyday connections without a disaster eventSend us a message! In Episode 16 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika reflect on when and how neighborliness and connections with people are built. At Kelli's prompting Lynn dialed into Houston's monthly public media spotlight on Pet Peeves and actually got on the show. Her pet peeve is that we seem to only show true neighborliness here in Houston when we have disasters to contend with. Kelli balances that with all the other points of connection that we lost during COVID and we're concerned may not return. This is where cohousing fits in as a solution!Lis...2021-06-0718 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 15: What makes shared meals so special?Send us a message! In Episode 15 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika reflect on all the ways that shared meals contribute to a sense of community and how it appeals to different people for different reasons.. Listen in to find out more. Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www.cohousinghouston.com. 2021-06-0218 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 14: What is the Common House?Send us a message!In Episode 14 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about the Common House. What is the Common House? What goes on there? How is it managed? Who uses it? What can you expect to experience there as a community member ... and so much more. Listen in to find out more. Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www.cohousinghouston.com.2021-05-2416 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 13: What makes a good Explorer?Send us a message!In Episode 13 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika discuss what they've observed about Explorers, who join their community to determine whether this is the right thing for them. They talk about the clarifying experience for so many Explorers, when they take their due diligence seriously. They figure out their next move. Sometimes it's cohousing in Houston and other times it's something completely different. Listen in to find out more. Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.For more information go to: www...2021-05-1717 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 12: When we are on the other side of an issue from each otherSend us a message!In Episode 12 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika talk about how they are learning to navigate consensus decisions when they are on the other side of an issue from each other. They use a recent decision about whether there will be gas ranges in their units and/or in the Common House during which they both surprised themselves and shifted after listening to others in the group.Listen in to find out more. Maybe you've had a similar experience. Let us know by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.F...2021-05-1120 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 11: What if I had been living in cohousing when ...?Send us a message!In Episode 11 Lynn Morstead & Kelli Soika explore what their life would have been like when they had their first child, if they had been living in cohousing instead of a traditional neighborhood. They each made long-lasting life choices about how to handle the working mother challenge at that time, and speculate whether they would have made different choices if they had been living in a cohousing community.Listen in to find out more. Maybe you've had a similar experience. Let us know by emailing us at info@cohousinghouston.com.2021-05-0318 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 1: Resiliency in CohousingSend us a message!In this first pilot episode of the CoHousing Houston Podcast series, hosts Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika reflect on the recent "Snovid" storm that hit Texas February 15th and is still impacting lives in the Houston area two weeks later. Lynn and Kelli talk about the three areas where their experience of how strength and resiliency in communities show up in a crisis like this. First it's the architectural design that goes into mitigating risksSecond its the pragmatic and practical ways that diverse groups of people ar...2021-03-0115 minTell me more about cohousingEpisode 0: Introduction to Tell Me More About CohousingSend us a message!In this introductory Episode Lynn Morstead and Kelli Soika come back after 10 episodes and finally explain what they are up to and who they are. And even give you a high-level overview of the cohousing concept. Better late than never! To learn more about CoHousing Houston refer to www.cohousinghouston.com. 2021-02-2812 min