Nizhoni House with a large porch and multiple cars parked outside.

Nizhoni House

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Spiritual
  • Urban

Founding year

  • 2007

What we do

Nizhoni, which means beauty, in Navajo was started in 2007 as a Project Neighborhood house connected to Calvin University and owned by Creston Church in the Creston neighborhood on the north east side of Grand Rapids. When Calvin University lost funding for their intentional community houses, Nizhoni separated from Calvin University and is now run by Creston Church. Creston has been revamping the program to include more leadership development and closer ties to neighbors and the church. Creston Church practices asset based community development, and the house is a place where residents can both learn and live out these values and skills in a supportive, faith based community.
Nizhoni house offers an intentional community living experience that combines leadership development opportunities guided by a house mentor, faith enriching spiritual rhythms, good neighbor practices, low cost living, and collaboration with a local small church rooted in hope and hospitality. Together Nizhoni house practices loving God, loving neighbor, and loving creation.

Our Mission

An intentional house where residents pursue asset-based community development alongside Creston Church

  • Purpose
  • Spiritual
  • Community type
  • Coliving
  • Student Co-op
  • Spiritual Retreat Centers
  • Activities
  • Property management
  • Education
  • Experiences

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2007
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2007
  • Started living together
  • 5 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
5

How to join

New residents to the house will need to apply and go through an application interview process before being able to live in the house. Please visit Creston Church’s website for application and info https://www.crestonchurch.org/

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Creston Church is comprised of about 50-80 members, of which the Nizhoni house is a close part of. Residents are required to commit to becoming active participants in the church community. We are an open and affirming church.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Single Leader or Founding Couple

One person or partnership has ultimate authority.

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

The house is owned by Creston Church who helps administratively and with building issues. The Council of the Church and subcommittees have oversight into how the house is run. The house mentor was hired by the church and is an active member of the church. The pastor oversees the house mentor so there can be a close relationship between the house and the church and activities can overlap in purpose and scope. Within the house, on a day to day basis, the mentor is there to help assist with group meetings, meals, etc.

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: $400
Labor: Yes (7 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
The only fees are for rent. Residents may choose to pool money for food. Meals are usually shared together at least once a week. Otherwise, residents are free to cook as they’d like.

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

Common House, Outbuilding(s), Fire pit

Frequency of communal meals

  • About once a week

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Dietary restriction

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

Community activities and engagement

  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies
  • Substance use is prohibited in the community
  • Religions
  • Christian

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Community Land Trust or some other kind of nonprofit

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Community type

  • Coliving

    Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
    kitchens, dining, and social areas.

  • Student Co-op

    Cooperative housing primarily for students, often with shared chores,
    meals, and democratic decision-making.

  • Spiritual Retreat Centers

    Residential communities focused on providing space for meditation, spiritual practice, and personal growth retreats.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    .5 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • Michigan, United States

Promoted Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Communities with Openings
2 weeks ago

Still Point House Manager

Still Point House Manager (Northampton) Windhorse Integrative Mental Health, Inc Are you interested in working where you live? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? Do you have experience with running a household, and do you appreciate community-based environments? Windhorse is seeking a manager of a hosted home environment for individuals working with extreme mind states who are arriving to our step-down program. When a Windhorse client first arrives, they are received at our Still Point house, an established home environment where they can land, orient, and meet their clinical team. Each client remains at our Still Point house for two to twelve weeks, at which point they then move to an apartment, which they share with a housemate. Windhorse is seeking a Still Point Manager who will live ongoingly in a house in Northampton and help with these transitions as well as other uses for the house. This individual should be skilled at running an uplifted home (including typical home cleaning and maintenance), cooking, and shopping for the home. They also need to be emotionally regulated, welcoming, compassionate, organized, and patient. While the Still Point Manager has extensive clinical support, the job itself is not clinical. In addition, the Still Point Manager is anticipated to hold outside employment and may do so for up to 20 hours per week. During periods of vacancy when there is no client in residence, the Still Point Manager may also be asked to host guests in the home, either other housemates when they are on respite from their households, or friends and family members from the Windhorse community. In addition, during vacancy periods the Still Point Manager is responsible for providing short periods of respite coverage during housemate time off. This may involve staying with the client in their apartment while the housemate is away (typically for 3 nights) or hosting the client at the Still Point ho
Offer
  • Professional Services
4 years ago

Sociocracy consulting and facilitation services offered by Sociocracy for All

Sociocracy consulting services offered by Sociocracy for All To learn more about our our consulting services, please visit our Consultant Services webpage. We offer just the level of hand-holding you want. By working with a coach, you can benefit from the experience and feedback of someone who has seen dozens of implementations and governance changes. We never forget that you’re the expert on your organization and culture, and you remain in the driving seat at all times. What does a consultant or coach do for you? Your consultant identifies with you what stage of implementation you’re on. Implementations follow a series of steps, and understanding what’s next for you might even be all you need. The consultant also assesses with you what kind of support might be useful to make your next steps effective and successful. Services that are typically part of an implementation: assessing training needs forming, coaching, and strategizing with the implementation circle/transformation team observing and facilitating meetings 1:1. or small-group conversations with stakeholders (the board, leadership, or people with concerns) and open Q&A sessions (e.g. for the whole membership or staff) Holding and facilitating “kick-off” events – we help you set up the first circles and the General Circle. This can be, for example, a two-day event with deeper training, formal adoption, and “flipping the switch” into your new governance system. Designing your circle structure and key roles, as well as documenting your governance system (see our samples and templates) Aligning your documents and bylaws with sociocracy Sociocracy facilitation services offered by Sociocracy for All To learn more about our our consulting services,
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
2 weeks 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. -min

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