Scenic view of a community with mountains in the background and lush greenery.

Alpenglow CoHousing

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Forming
  • Home-sharing
  • Town/Small City

Founding year

  • 2016

What we do

Ours will be an intentional neighborhood where we have people who we can celebrate with in good times and who we can count on in hard times. Combining the autonomy of private homes with the advantages of community living in a ‘’resident friendly” setting, we plan to create a socially and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, and cluster our homes around a Common House. Our founding members came together in 2016 to plan a multi-generational cohousing neighborhood within walking distance of Ridgway, Colorado. We intend to live cooperatively and sustainably, sharing resources as we care for each other and the environment.
Our home designs are completed, city approval and all environmental studies are done and we intent to begin preparing the site for construction summer of 2020. We have available five floor plans (728, 913, 1207, 1407 and 1628 square foot homes), ranging from 1-3 bedrooms. Current members are reserving their homes and participating in the neighborhood planning. Twelve of the available 26 units have already been claimed. Investing now, will save on the final cost of your home.
We welcome all ages, all backgrounds, all identifies and all beliefs grounded in community and friendship.

Our Mission

We are creating an intentional neighborhood where we will live simply with peace and kindness, in beautiful, environmentally friendly homes clustered around our common house.
Living Simply. Nurturing Others. Enjoying Nature.

  • Purpose
  • Home-sharing
  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Activities
  • Property management

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2016
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2021
  • Started living together
  • 17 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
17

How to join

Email us to set up a meeting with our members. We will share with you our vision, how we work together, and next steps. Each situation is unique, but becoming a member generally includes joining a committee, participating in our meetings (via Zoom if your are not local), and if it is a good match – investing in a home!

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Please email us at info@alpenglowcohousing to visit Ridgway, see the land, and explore becoming a member. Or call us at 970-318-6428.

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Modified Consensus

Generally seek agreement, but have backup methods when consensus isn’t reached.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Conflict resolution approach

At this stage, we work as a group, taking turns with facilitation, and making decisions by consensus. We have subcommittees that care for different aspects of the project and bring to the whole group. Our current subcommittees are Membership, Marketing, Finance and Building.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Join fee: $0
Regular fees: Yes
Labor: Yes (2 hrs/week)
Dues are not required if you want to connect with us and ask lots of questions. An Explorer fee of $200 is requested if you want to start coming to committee meetings, to see if this is a right match for you. This fee is rolled into your membership expenses if you decide to join. (It is not refundable if you decide not to join.) Once you decide to become a member partial investment in your home is required. Becoming a member secures your place in line for reserving your home and gives you full rights to join in all consensus decisions. We recognize that it takes time to decide if Aplenglow and prospective members have the right fit. We welcome anyone to ‘try us on.’

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Workshop, Large Scale Kitchen

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Dietary restriction

  • People can cook and eat what they want in their own residence

Community activities and engagement

  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association

Gender composition

  • Majority cis (over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Town/Small City

Smaller municipalities with local services but rural character.

Self-produced energy

  • 33 - 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar
  • Land area size
    4 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • Colorado, United States

Alpenglow CoHousing

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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