By Katie McCamant | CoHousing Solutions President & Nevada City Cohousing Resident

An only-in-cohousing story for some Friday fun.

CoHousing Solutions is proud to announce our first graduating class of the 500 Communities Program! This year-long training is spearheaded by Katie McCamant, and gathers passionate cohousing entrepreneurs who want to devote themselves to the goal of building the next 500 communities while working collaboratively, supporting each other and making a good living.

Californians had a lot of choices for where to visit last Saturday the 30th for Cohousing Open House Day. From Arcata to L.A. to the Bay and Sierra Foothills in-between, 19 communities participated - more than any other state (though you came close, Massachusetts). I had the treat of touring Muir Commons in Davis, and arrived curious about who and what I'd find in this 25 year-old community, the very first built in the United States. I wondered - Does community stand the test of time, when only a few founding members are left?

Last week, an excellent article launched a cohousing discussion on Dr. Bill Thomas's ChangingAging site. The author Beth Baker wrote the well-received book With a Little Help from our Friends—Creating Community as We Grow Older, which profiles cohousing communities. Beth interviewed members of Sand River Cohousing - originally ElderGrace - given an AARP Livable Communities Award.

Katie McCamant's recent interview centered on cohousing's benefits to those entering the "next act" of their lives. Her responses speak to the tandem benefits of this nexus: aging in community while remaining integrated in the fabric of our chosen city/region. Katie's experience as development consultant, cohousing entrepreneur and lead at CoHousing Solutions grounds the discussion, while tying in nicely to this hot-topic of May's Aging Better Together Conference in Salt Lake City.