Cohousing as Civic Society: Cohousing Involvement and Political Participation in the United States*

Abstract

Objective The civic‐society literature argues that members of voluntary civic associations engage in community building and other activities that hone political skills and cultivate a sense of efficacy, which can lead to higher levels of participation in politics. This study situates cohousing in the civic‐society literature and asks whether cohousing as a form of civic association encourages participation in electoral politics. Methods Data from the U.S. National Cohousing Survey, Phase III were used in bivariate correlation, Jonckheere‐Terpstra, and chi‐square procedures to test the hypothesis that cohousing involvement facilitates political participation. Results There were ordered increases in levels of the dependent variable, political activities index, for increasing levels of cohousing‐involvement variables. Chi‐square tests were significant for relationships between cohousing‐involvement variables and three dummy variables comprised of the activities included in political activities index—writing to Congress increased (since moving to cohousing), campaign contributions increased, and campaigning door‐to‐door increased. Conclusions The chi‐square results bolstered the evidence, on an aggregate level, in support of the hypothesis. Cohousing holds out promise as a means of revitalizing democratic citizenship.

Public health should promote co-operative housing and cohousing

“…Decision-making by consensus promotes a sense of belonging and shared identity (Williams, 2005;Ruiu, 2016;Sanguinetti, 2014). Most cohousing establishments are designed to facilitate a supportive community where residents can access various forms of help, including cooking and sharing communal meals, gardening, maintenance, and childcare (Ruiu, 2015;Berggren, 2017). People living in cohousing report feeling safe in their communities, likely due to layouts that allow for surveillance of the common space (Droste, 2015;Torres-Antonini, 2001).…”

Spatial Agency: Creating New Opportunities for Sharing and Collaboration in Older People’s Cohousing

“…One of the key benefits of older people's cohousing is the ability to be open about their own experiences of ageing, and, therefore, access mutual support in response to the changing physical capabilities and emotional experiences of growing older [24]. Other studies have also identified how cohousing can lead to increased participation in civic and political processes [26] and increases the social capital of cohousers within the cities and neighbourhoods that they reside in [27].…”

More room for cohousing in the United States: Understanding diffusion potential by exploring who knows about, who likes, and who would consider living in cohousing

“…The most oft-cited benefits relate to social support, including opportunities for socializing, support, sharing chores, sharing expertise, living with people with similar interests, interdependent living, sense of belonging, self-esteem, and well-being (Markle, Rodgers, Sanchez, & Ballou, 2015;Williams, 2005). Cohousing may also promote civic engagement (Poley & Stephenson, 2007) and political participation via practice exercising quasi-political skills in the context of cohousing (Berggren, 2013(Berggren, , 2017. Research also points to environmental benefits of cohousing (e.g., Hendrickson & Wittman, 2010;Kirby, 2003;Meltzer, 2000Meltzer, , 2005Moos, Whitfield, Johnson, & Andrey, 2006;Sanguinetti, 2014); the size and cooperative culture of cohousing is conducive to pro-environmental practices, such as obtaining renewable energy, growing food, and recycling.…”