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: To create and live in a community that fosters harmony with each other, the larger community, and Nature.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
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.
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
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
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).
{{ item.label }}
{{ item.value ? item.value : currencyFormat( item.amount ) }}
Subtotal
{{ currencyFormat( pricing_summary.total_amount ) }}
We’re introducing new Plus features — including community reviews, Profile Match, and unlimited Needs & Offers posts — while keeping most of FIC free for everyone. Membership costs less than two coffees a month.
