JOIN US

We welcome new members and encourage anyone interested in joining CHI to read the entire web site, including all links.

join-us

Membership Process

After you have attended several national and local CHI events and meetings, met with several members, decided that CHI is right for you, and notified us, we will ask you to write a short Biography that includes the skills you bring to the community. The board will then send your Bio and its recommendation to all CHI members and ask for their vote on your candidacy. If approved, you can pay the required fees and become a member of CHI!

Consensus

Community is about open communication. The consensus decision-making process ensures the involvement of all members in decisions that affect their lives. When everyone is involved in the decision-making process, people get to know each other well and this fosters community. One of the key elements of consensus is learning to listen to others. Disagreement does not mean the end of discussion, but the beginning of a more meaningful and deeper discussion.

Member’s Agreement

A Members’ Agreement is a binding agreement drawn up by the people who plan to live in a particular cohousing project. Each cohousing site has its own Members’ Agreement. Subjects, such as waiting lists, meals, meetings, behavior in common spaces, rituals and pets are defined by the members for themselves. Experience shows that it is wise to begin forming a Members’ Agreement months before moving in. The process itself builds community.