Cozy house surrounded by lush greenery and trees in an intentional community setting.

Heartwood Cohousing

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Home-sharing
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1994

What we do

Heartwood Cohousing is a close-knit, multigenerational community in Southwest Colorado near Durango, where neighbors support each other, share resources, and enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle. We’re not a commune — each home is individually owned, we have an HOA like any neighborhood, and residents pursue their own careers and life paths, united by a shared commitment to connection with each other and nature. Our population is typically 50-60 people: families with kids, singles, and couples of all ages, though the community is expanding! Established in 2000 with 24 homes, we’re now building Phase 2, which is made up of 14 new homes that will be move-in ready starting fall of 2026. Shared amenities in Heartwood include a common house, village green, kids’ play structure, woodworking shop, greenhouse, raised beds, henhouse, exercise room, library, guest rooms, tennis/pickleball and court, barns, a yurt, hot tub, sledding hill, and bonfire circle.

We are a rural community, 5 mins from Bayfield and 30 mins from Durango, and we own 360 acres, including 67 irrigated acres for horses, llamas, and cattle, plus 7 miles of trails. Homes are clustered on a few acres, leaving over 95% of our land as open space. All homes are passive solar and energy efficient. Our gardens and small farm are all organic. At 7,100′ elevation in the Four Corners region, we enjoy 300+ days of sunshine, dry mountain air (no AC needed), star-filled skies, and easy access to the San Juan Mountains and Colorado Plateau red rock country with Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, Arches, and more all within a few hours. High-speed internet (100+ Mbps) and a regional airport 25 minutes away make remote work easy.

Heartwood is a wonderful place to raise kids, put down roots, and build a healthier, more connected life. Visit our website to learn more, sign up for our newsletter, or join a Virtual Tour, to see if Heartwood could be the right fit for you.

Our Vision

Our Vision: To create and live in a community that fosters harmony with each other, the larger community, and Nature.

  • Purpose
  • Home-sharing
  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Sustainability practices
  • Renewable energy systems
  • Waste reduction / composting
  • Activities
  • Property management

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1994
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2000
  • Started living together

Gallery

  • 55 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
66

How to join

If you’re interested in Heartwood, we recommend attending a Virtual Tour. This is a great first step to meet members, hear more about life in cohousing, see available houses, and more. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions!

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Our membership process is self-selecting, which is to say that after thoroughly familiarizing yourself with Heartwood, it is your choice whether to join the community. The process is detailed in our Prospective Member Checklist on our website.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

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

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

Our Steering team has primary responsibility for planning and oversight. Other teams have responsibility for various other community functions.
Although most decisions are delegated to teams, some decisions are made by the entire community, which are made by consensus in community meetings (about five community meetings per year). We generally make fewer than a dozen community decisions each year. The rest of our decisions are made by teams using consensus at their team meetings.

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: $350
Labor: Yes (2 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
We do expect everyone to actively participate and contribute their talents to the maintenance of the community, ideally in the ways that work best for them with an offering of at least eight hours of community work per month. Monthly dues for each home (approx $270 – $550 depending on number of people in home) contribute to the community’s annual budget which addresses common costs including common building maintenance, water/wastewater management, landscaping, roads, trash, etc.

Vehicle accessibility

  • Most / all people own their own vehicles

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

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Hot tub or hot springs, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Trails, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per 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

  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies
  • Religions
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Jewish
  • Quaker
  • Native
  • Wiccan, Paganism, or Earth Religions
  • Unitarian Universalist

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Multi-generational (all ages well represented)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

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

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Community type

  • Cohousing

    Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
    interaction while maintaining independence.

Community type

  • Built or remodeled using passive solar design

Sustainability approach

  • Renewable energy systems
  • Waste reduction / composting

Community type

  • Built or remodeled using passive solar design

Some or all of the buildings are...

  • Built or remodeled using passive solar design

Self-produced energy

  • 33 - 66%

Energy sources used

  • Wind
  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Up to 33%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Greenhouse / aquaponics
  • Livestock / poultry

Source of water

  • Well water

Waste management practices

  • Composting
  • Recycling program
  • Land area size
    360 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • Colorado, United States

Heartwood 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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