Here are three current projects to check out, if any of these descriptions pique your interest:

Division 43 (from low $100s) Woolsey Corner (from $101,600) Killingsworth Station: aka, K-Station (from $169,900)

Division 43 is a unique model of “micro-housing” that we haven’t seen in Portland before. Woolsey Corner also pushes the envelope with its playful details (repurposed instruments in the railings, sculptural downspouts, and live-edge trim accents) and its ownership structure as a Proud Ground Community Land Trust property, which will keep it affordable indefinitely. K-Station is set to be certified as LEED-Platinum building, placing it at the forefront of current sustainable building practices, and they offer a special down payment assistance loan for eligible buyers. This delivers a level of design and performance that hasn’t been available at these prices before in Portland. For more information about any of these properties or the financing available for them, contact me.

The market is being transformed, and as with any system with monetary or design constraints, people get creative to adapt and generate new solutions. I hope you’ve found these options interesting in the least. If you’d like to know more about these properties or any other listings on the market, we’d be happy to set up a customized search to help you find the right fit for your needs. Be in touch. Be well.

"Cully Grove will be a multi-generational group of individuals and families who enjoy sharing our lives with our community. We’re working to create an old-fashioned neighborhood in a new-fashioned way." -www.cullygrove.org

Fun + Farm (big gardens) + Spirited Community + High-Performance Homes = the new breed of urban cohousing. It’s Cully Grove. Located on about 2 acres on NE Going, Cully Grove nestles 16 homes and an abundance of common amenities. They’re taking reservations now, and it’s already over 50% reserved. The founding members will be at Rose’s Ice Cream (5011 NE 42nd Ave.) on Sunday, May 15th, 4:00-5:30. Stop by to check out their site plan and floor plans and get a feel for their vision. In the meantime, take a moment to check out their talented team of inspired community developers and designers.

1. CoreHaus new construction PassivHaus
2. Engstrom & Werlin Duplex Renovation
3. Doleman Strawbale Dwelling
4. Harpoon House
5. Woolsey Corner Affordable Cohousing

Wow! That was hard. I’m still unsure of my choices, as there are so many interesting ones this year. Some I’ve already visited or anticipate having the opportunity to visit down the road, so that helped take a few off my plate, but there are still some that might make the list come tour day. Tickets are available online.

If you’re unable to make the tour, but would like to tap into the local green building and sustainable design world, there will also be A FREE fun, family-friendly information fair with green vendors, demonstrations, food, drink and music. I will have a table there to share my business and answer questions. There are usually dozens of local businesses and non-profits present to share what they’ve been working on and how they can help as you assess how this impacts your home and fits into your life. Overall, it’s a great day to gain inspiration and insight into how others are making strides to create healthy, sustainable living situations and dwellings. If you attend the info fair, stop by to say, “HI!”

The info fair will be held at EcoHaus from 3pm to 7pm. EcoHaus is located at 819 Se Taylor St., Portland, OR 97214. If you’d like updates on events like this throughout the year, check out my facebook page or twitter feed. Or, just contact me directly. Enjoy.

Daybreak Cohousing in Portland, OR

A new alternative to what? The old standbys for housing include single-family homes, condos, townhouses, plexes, and apartments, Daybreak is something different–in a refreshing, thoughtful, and exciting way. Daybreak Cohousing is a 30-unit cohousing development in North Portland’s Overlook neighborhood. Units are sold as condos, but the common elements are far from common. As a cohousing community, there is a heightened attention given to communal elements–whether it’s the 7,000sf common house, dining hall, commercial kitchen, hot tub, hobby room, guest room, kids play room, or the media room. This is just to name a few of the shared amenities at Daybreak. Beyond the structural  common elements, there is an opportunity for shared meals, shared values, community decision making, and community support.

“Knowing our neighbors, feeling like we belong, being a part of something that we care about and that cares about us…” (quoted from The Cohousing Handbook: Building a Place for Community) [[Show as slideshow]]For more information on this thoughtful, paradigm-shifting development, here are some resources to sink your teeth into. If you’re interested in taking a closer look at Daybreak, look into their social calendar for the next opportunity.

Portland Area Cohousing Options

• Daybreak Cohousing (N PDX)
• Columbia Ecovillage (NE PDX)
• Peninsula Park Commons (N PDX)
• Cascadia Commons (SW PDX)
• Trillium Hollow (NW PDX)
• Kailash Ecovillage (SE PDX)

General Cohousing Resources

• NW Intentional Communities Association
• Cohousing Association
• Orange Splot (run by Eli Spevak, an incredible local resource for community development)
• Cohousing Company