Cornerstone Cohousing consists of 32 units — 23 apartments split across two three-story buildings, one of which is our common house — and 9 townhouses. We are located in a diverse neighborhood in North Cambridge with easy access to public transportation, stores, restaurants, and open spaces such as the Alewife Linear Park, which adjoins our property and provides for both pedestrians and bikers. The community design maximizes open shared space, including gardens for both flowers and veggies, a playground structure, a large yard for play space and community events, and a patio with grills for shared outdoor meals. Our common house offers a large dining room with a well-equipped kitchen for community dinners as well as large meetings and social events. The building also houses a den, a kids’ playroom, an arts & crafts room, an exercise room, a workshop with shared tools, and 13 apartments.
The community is fully accessible to mobility-disabled persons, both residents and visitors. All residences have level entries and, in multiple-story townhouses, an accessible powder room on the first floor. All doors are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs.
The physical design encourages spontaneous interaction. In addition to regular resident-prepared community meals, we build community through shared activities, work, play, and celebrations. Learning and teaching skills between members, especially across generations, is encouraged. Interdependence and mutual assistance are an integral part of daily life. Many of us are involved in the neighborhood as well as the wider community. We use consensus as our mode of decision-making.
The community promotes cultural, racial, and economic diversity through a broad outreach, the inclusion of four city affordable units, and a welcoming attitude. We have families with children, singles, couples, and empty nesters.
Cohousing allows for a lighter, less consumer-oriented lifestyle. Economies of scale abound, including the sharing of tools, child care, and guest rooms. We recycle, compost, conserve water, have solar panels and EV chargers, and try to be as environmentally responsible as we can.
Structured as a condominium, all of our units are owner-occupied. There are very rare rental opportunities, usually sharing a unit with others. All pricing is in line with the Cambridge real estate market.
We have come together to live in cohousing because we believe that people living in community live richer and happier lives. We value the cooperative process of operating our own community. In today’s world, many neighborhoods do not serve the supportive function that they did in previous generations. An intentional, collaborative community can contribute to an individual’s sense of belonging and their ability to contribute to the well-being of others and society as a whole.
We encourage people who are interested in buying and living here to visit and tour the community, attend at least one common meal and one community general meeting, and learn to understand our governing and community participation policies. If there is still interest, then people can go to the CONTACT page (http://www.cornerstonecohousing.org/contact.html) on our website, click the “CONTACT US” link, then fill out and submit the two-question form to be notified when a unit comes on the market. People on that list will also be notified of events for prospective residents.
Email ou******@****ho.org requesting a visit and tour.
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
Generally seek agreement, but have backup methods when consensus isn’t reached.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
The closest we have to a “core leadership group” is our elected Managing Board. The Board performs administrative activities, for which they are fully responsible to the community. Each of the board members serves a two-year term, with 2-3 members rotating off at the end of their second year, to be replaced by 2-3 newly-elected members.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Regular fees: $320
Labor: Yes (1 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Each member is expected to serve on at least one committee, perform one hours per week on community chores, and work one three-hour shift on a percentage of regularly scheduled community work days. (If physically able.)
We live within our means and maintain significant reserve funds for planned as well as unexpected expenses. On extremely rare occasions, assessments are required for capital expenditures.
Common House, Garden(s), Workshop, Large Scale Kitchen, Swingsets & play areas, Gym or sports area, Internet
Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.
Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
interaction while maintaining independence.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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