Higher Ground Cohousing logo with green background and white text.

Higher Ground Cohousing

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Home-sharing
  • Urban

Founding year

  • 1992

What we do

Higher Ground is comprised of 39 single-family homes on seven acres about three miles east of downtown Bend. The community was planned to provide maximum open space for meadows, play areas, pond, trails, and vegetable garden. Our common house was the original farmhouse on this property, and we completed a large new dining/kitchen/recreation addition. People choosing to buy or rent these homes are interested in a socially supportive environment for themselves and their families. Many homes have been constructed with innovative environmentally responsible building materials. We share general maintenance responsibilities, and find this to be a valuable component in building community. We also take conflict resolution seriously and periodically provide positive opportunities for personal growth.

Our Mission

Strong Core Group

  • Purpose
  • Home-sharing
  • Community type
  • Cohousing

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1992
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1994
  • Started living together
  • 61 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
82

How to join

See Prospective Residents tab on our website.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Call or email so we can arrange a tour, and hopefully a visitor can come and share a meal with us.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Decision-making process

  • Leadership Decides

A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Founder/Leader-led

Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).

Conflict resolution approach

HOA Board (leadership rotates)
Consensus with some majority rule exceptions.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • 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

Regular fees: Yes
Labor: Yes
3-4 community work days a year plus HOA Dues

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

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Workshop, Hot tub or hot springs, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas

Frequency of communal meals

  • About once a week

Dietary restriction

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

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Gender composition

  • Majority cis (over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Family-focused (many children and parents)

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Oregon, United States

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
1 month ago

3000sf House+Apartment, Rosewind Cohousing, Port Townsend WA

We are a retired couple who are downsizing, still living within the community. We are selling our large, flexible, comfortably rustic house, perfect for a multigenerational household, a family with kids or for 2 separate households. It’s 3000 square feet on 3 levels. The house is on a slope, with 2 main entrances. At one time it housed a large blended family. The current setup is a 2250 square foot, 2 bath main house with a 700 square foot rental apartment, also called an auxiliary dwelling unit (ADU). There is a staircase between the main and lower floor, with a lockable door. If desired, the ADU kitchen can be removed. The main floor has a very large kitchen/dining area, large living room, two small bedrooms, a bathroom with 2 sinks and a shower, a laundry room and a large mudroom. The non-bearing wall between the 2 bedrooms can be removed to turn it back to a single primary bedroom. The top floor has two bedrooms, one of which is primary with a large bright sitting area, and a large open middle area between them (game room, TV room, kids sleeping area, etc.). There is a bathroom with a claw-foot tub, no shower. The lower floor is the ADU, a finished storage area and a stand-up “crawl space“ which is used as a second pantry and storage.Attached to the house there is also a 150 sq ft wood paneled office/hobby space with its own electric and propane lines. Features: – straw bale construction, which is energy-efficient, great sound insulation, and provides a warm, soft, feeling. -very large functional kitchen with a long granite countertop. The dining area fits 10 people. -natural construction, with solid maple floors in the middle and upper level, marmoleum floor in kitchen and oak floor in the lower level. The two small bedrooms have painted wood floors. The doors are all solid wood. -large, functional, low maintenance patio area. Room for a table for eight and an additional sitting area. Propane hook ups for grills and smokers.
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
7 months ago

Worktrade Opportunities on Big Island Hawaii

We are continuing our work-trade program at Bridge Hawaii for the right people on this beautiful 86-acre land located along the Hāmākua Coast. Ideally, we want to host those individuals who can help with the garden and who can support with build projects for up to a 3 month stay. This work-trade would include lodging, food staples, community kitchen, running hot water showers, off-grid electricity, and laundry. There is access to high speed wi-fi. We often have a car that can be reserved. We also have full bar signal strength with Verizon cellphone service. We have about 2 acres of permaculture garden that needs to be cared for including; weeding, planting, picking up mulch, some tree trimming, ect. We are currently in a building stage on the land. We have a few current grant projects we are working on and some build projects that are underway. We are an intentional community with about 8 permanent residents. There are rescue dairy cows, mini cows, mini donkeys, horses, a donkey, cats, dogs, and active bee hives. We are a drug and alcohol “free” space. A glass of wine or beer with dinner is fine, but absolutely no day drinking or parties. We have a meditation temple and many waterfall pools that are wonderful for swimming. Close to some of the nicest beaches on island. We have snorkeling gear and a kayak. Since this is an animal sanctuary, we limit the consumption of meat on the land. Fish, eggs, honey, and dairy are fine. Let me know if you’re interested by sending an email or text for our application. Maomi (801) 623-0738 ma***@*****************ii.com
  • Promoted
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
Offer
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
3 months ago

Home available in Evans Oaks

Join a small co-housing community in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Silverton offers a rural lifestyle just a half hour from Salem and an hour from Portland. Step into an open-concept living area where natural light meets the warmth of a sleek gas fireplace. The open-concept layout flows seamlessly over premium flooring selections tailored for both beauty and durability: Living Areas: Warm, rich wood floors extend through the living room and bedrooms. Entry & Baths: Durable, elegant tile flooring greets you at the door and lines the bathrooms. Kitchen & Laundry: Eco-friendly, resilient marmoleum flooring makes clean-up a breeze. Windows: Double-pane vinyl windows throughout ensure maximum insulation and quiet comfort, along with custom high end window coverings. High-tech keyless entry at the front door for ultimate convenience. Year-Round Climate Control: Stay perfectly comfortable with a high-efficiency mini-split heating and cooling system. Luxury Touches: Retreat to bathrooms featuring heated tile floors for those crisp Oregon mornings. Universal Design: Thoughtfully crafted for longevity and ease, the home features zero-entry access and 32-inch wide doors throughout. The exterior is equally impressive, featuring: Garden Patio: A serene space perfect for alfresco dining or quiet morning coffee. Professional Landscaping: Beautifully maintained grounds connected by elegant flagstone walkways. Detached garage with one parking space and extr

Information

Communities

A residential project: people live here as their primary home.

Organizations

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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