Welcome to the network of Seattle cooperative, collective, communal (or other forms of intentional community) housing!

The goal of this network is to enable cooperation among housing cooperatives in Seattle.

There is a need to come together as people who live in or want to live in cooperative housing in our city. By living in co-ops we are building community, fighting systems of oppression, decreasing our environmental footprints, and living more affordability. And by networking with each other we can build stronger communities, achieve greater reach in our organizing, share opportunities and resources, learn from each other, and have a lot of fun!

IDEAS FOR POSTS ON THIS NETWORK INCLUDE:
• Introducing your co-op and sharing what you would like to use this network for
• Inviting other houses to a house event, gathering, potluck, workshop, etc.
• Recruiting extra hands for a house work project
• Finding new members for your co-op
• Finding people to start a new house
• Finding space in a co-op house.

Please add friends who live in co-op housing communities and give us feedback for how we could improve this network.

This network was partly inspired by the Vancouver Collective Houses Network and is intended to supplement NICA as a communication tool for urban co-ops in Seattle.

This is a safe space for all people and communities to speak their truth. Disrespectful posts or comments of any kind will not be tolerated.

DEFINITION OF HOUSING COOPERATIVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS NETWORK:
Housing co-ops are distinct from regular shared houses in that they share resources such as food and cooked meals to take advantage of large household size through economies of scale and division of labor. At the same time they foster a socially and emotionally supportive environment for their members and often facilitate community gatherings. Co-ops generally use consensus decision making and follow the Cooperative Principles. While some co-ops may own their own property, for the sake of this network, the cooperative principle of shared ownership refers to the ownership of the community its self rather than the property it occupies. Housing co-ops are distinct from other forms of intentional communities such as co-housing or eco-villages in that the members share one main building and are in an urban area.