Fresno Famous

How Green is Your Home or Your Neighborhood?
La Querencia Fresno Cohousing is set to rank as the Valley's most environmentally sustainable residential development.

Scott Bentley is excitedly awaiting ground breaking on his new home in Fresno Cohousing, a close-knit neighborhood featuring the latest in "green" technologies and design. More than just moving into a house, Scott and his future neighbors have worked for the past two and a-half years to find land, plan their community, select building materials, energy systems, and site engineering that will make this new neighborhood the most ecological in the valley. The community's close ties to the earth are reflected in the neighborhood's name, La Querencia, a Spanish term which means, "The deep sense of inner well-being that comes from knowing a particular place on the Earth." (From http://www.fresnocohousing.org)

Scott, a single parent with two daughters, is also choosing Fresno Cohousing because of its social sustainability. A social worker with Fresno County, Scott is aware that with the disintegration of communities across the United States, social studies find U.S. citizens are among the most lonely in the world. Medical studies reflect a downward spiral in mental and physical health that can be directly linked to lack of social contact. (See health and community studies.) Almost two-thirds of Americans say they have no social intimacy, no one to talk to. It is epidemic, and affecting every aspect of our social structure.

Can cohousing offer a solution to both environmental and social ills?

What makes cohousing different from a typical condo or apartment complex is the commitment of the residents — who all get to know each other before they move in. Imagine everyone on your block being genuinely glad to see you when you get home from work. Imagine having a home-cooked community dinner waiting for you a few times a week. Imagine having folks right next door whom you trust to watch your kids while you and your partner enjoy some adult conversation. Although socializing is at each resident's discretion, and privacy is respected, each resident knows a caring ear is only a few steps away.

Cohousing neighbors also tend to be great earth stewards. When we care about each other, cohousers have found, we tend to also care about the planet. La Querencia will feature designs that foster energy efficiency, cluster the homes to have a smaller footprint on the earth, will utilize green building materials, will encourage recycling and composting, walking and bicycling, ride sharing, supporting local businesses and entertainment, and will take advantage of new technologies to reduce water consumption. In other words, Yes! — cohousing offers a very workable solution.

On May 6th, 2007, La Querencia Fresno Cohousing will break ground for a neighborhood that already feels like home. The 28 homes will be built on 2.8 acres on Alluvial between Chestnut and Willow Avenues in North Fresno. There are currently 13 member households in the La Querencia group, ranging from toddlers to seniors. They include teachers, a professor, a surgeon, a mindfulness and yoga instructor, a music director, speech-language pathologists, a woodworker, an attorney, artists, and nurses.

La Querencia is looking for more members of all ages to complete their neighborhood. Cohousing is a great place to raise kids. It's safe, active, supportive and fun. The lifestyle also works well for individuals who may be more introverted as there is a built in social life from spontaneous gatherings in the common areas to planned, optional group meals in the community-owned Common House. The community will include a swimming pool, club house with kid's room, library/media room, dining area and state-of-the-art kitchen, a workshop, teen lounge, exercise room, lots of green space, a community garden and more.

Interesting Speakers Coming to Town in February and March

The community is inviting several national figures to come to town to share their ideas about the role of community in creating a more socially and environmentally sustainable lifestyle. On Sunday, February 25th from 2 to 3:30 PM, national cohousing educator and 10-year cohousing resident Neshama Abraham, will present a talk about parenting in community, "The Village it Takes to Raise a Child". The discussion will take place at Mommy Matters, 1010 E. Perrin Ave. at Champlain in Fresno, and will include free supervised childcare activities and healthy snacks.

On Sunday, March 18 from 2 to 4 PM, the group is bringing Dave Wann, author of Affluenza! and Superbia! to give a slide show and musical performance on Creating a Sustainable Lifestyle at Arte Americas, 1630 Van Ness in the cultural arts district of upper downtown Fresno.

You can also learn more and meet current La Querencia members at information meetings from 2 to 4 PM, Feb. 18, March 4 and March 25. These take place in the house on the site of the future cohousing neighborhood. The community welcomes new member households. If you'd like to attend one of the upcoming free talks, information meetings, or social events, drop them a line at info@fresnocohousing.org or call 866-246-7717. More info at www.FresnoCohousing.org.