The easy answer is that we don’t “select” new owners. Each home is privately owned and when a resident is ready to sell, they can sell to whomever they like.
The long answer is that our neighbors are our friends. That means that when someone is leaving they will consider the needs of the community rather than just choosing the highest bidder in all cases. We strive to educate potential buyers and renters about living at Evans Oaks, and to ensure that they understand and share Evans Oaks’ fundamental agreements and philosophies. This is a voluntary but recommended process. While we strongly urge potential members to follow it, the community does not and cannot make a decision to “accept” or “reject” someone wishing to purchase (or rent) a home at Evans Oaks.
Cohousing began in Denmark in the 1970's. The intent was to create the kind of neighborhoods with a strong sense of community that were once common. In the 1980s cohousing was introduced to the United States. There are now hundreds of cohousing communities in the U.S.
Cohousing neighborhoods are designed to foster community and cooperation while preserving privacy and independence. As cohousing residents, we all share a desire and intention to live in close connection with our neighbors. Our community differs from some cohousing communities in that we are made up of 11 separate detached homes and a community building.
Evans Oaks is located on the outskirts of Silverton, Oregon, a 10 minute walk from the heart of an exceptionally charming town of about 10,000 residents. Silverton is home to the Oregon Garden, a gem of northwest botanical gardens, 5 miles from the charming town of Mt. Angel, 12 miles from Salem, the State Capitol, 42 miles from Portland, and a short 20 minute drive to the Silver Falls State Park.
We planned, designed, and now manage our own community. Evans Oaks is owned by the people who live here: each of our 11 households owns their own home as well as 1/11th of all common property including the Common House, (the “Hub”). There are two flanks of garage units that are also jointly owned by 10 of us, although the interior of our garage units are deeded to each homeowner. The legal structure is that of a condominium, governed by Declarations and Bylaws of the Evans Oaks Cottages Condominium Association (HOA).
At Evans Oaks homeowners pay for their gas, electric and internet used in their own home, and pay for their own homeowners’ insurance. Water, sewer and garbage are paid by the HOA.
Our HOA monthly dues (currently set at $140 per household) cover all other utilities on the shared property and also include and cover our insurance and maintenance for the common areas and water, sewer and trash pickup for the entire property, as well as a healthy reserve fund for the future of our property.
We anticipate that each owner will participate in the upkeep and maintenance of the common property. There are a variety of ways that you might contribute throughout the year to weekly and/or monthly tasks. In addition to tasks you might carry out on your own, we schedule two community-wide work days per year which can include various inside and outside tasks, depending on the community’s needs. It is amazing how much more fun raking or sweeping, building or cleaning can be when everyone works together. Tool cleaners and snacks are also important contributions to a fun and productive work day. The way you participate is, of course, widely variable and based on your own unique capabilities. Our participation in the complete operation and maintenance of our community guarantees that we are able to stick to our values and that we keep our costs down.
ou can anticipate an average of 3-4 hours per month per adult community member as the expected work hour contribution. This is stated in our By-Laws, and it is probable that members will voluntarily do more than that. Our definition of Participation is primarily driven by Committee tasks as well as various board designated workgroups. Individual contributions are based on physical and other abilities. Generally ‘work hours’ would be tasks that we would otherwise need to hire non EO entities to do. Additionally we have consensus that there will be a spirit of contribution and collaboration so all can be involved with equity rather than equality.
In addition to working from the Task List, community members are strongly encouraged to participate in our twice yearly Work Party days, which are scheduled several months in advance for a weekend day. On Work Party days we undertake larger projects which require the coordinated effort of a number of individuals. Generally we work 4 to 6 hours and eat a sack lunch together. Work Days are an opportunity to enjoy different types of work and to socialize and contribute to community life, as well as accomplish necessary tasks.
We all share the community building (the Hub) which is a 900 square foot ADA accessible space equipped with an ADA bathroom, full kitchen, wide screen TV, comfortable seating area and large open space for our community meals with our stored tables and chairs. There is also a guest bedroom with its own bathroom and shower. In addition we have a shared workshop equipped with numerous tools, and a garden tool shed with our garden tools and supplies. We have a fenced vegetable garden that community members can participate in planting and tending.
At Evans Oaks we have a monthly all community potluck meal together at our Hub for all who can and wish to come. We have frequent opportunities for connecting at the Hub, such as book group gatherings, shared movie viewing on our large screen TV, as well as many other spontaneous gatherings.
Currently we have Membership Board meetings 8 times per year. Attending these meetings is a responsibility we take very seriously, for this is where we all meet to make sure we are on the same page in regard to decisions about day-to-day living at Evans Oaks. The meetings are very efficient and follow a timed-agenda format. The agenda with committee reports and items for consideration are delivered electronically to all owners well before the meeting, allowing members to come to meetings prepared with questions, comments and suggestions.
In addition we have two work parties per year that we hope all will participate in to the best of their ability.
Decisions at Evans Oaks are made based on our agreed upon values, and the process we use for decision-making is consensus. In a consensus model, there is no “winner” or “loser;” a decision is made according to what is best for the group and whether the decision is something that each member “can live with.” It is an amazing process that we are all learning more about each time we engage in it. The great thing about managing and operating our own community is that all decisions are our decisions and can be altered or completely revamped (within the bounds of our Bylaws) as the community sees the need for change.
All our members are here because they are committed to living in community. That said, we are all human and at times we disagree about something and have to work it out. We work to maintain a culture of cooperation, respect, and mutual support. When conflict does arise, as it’s bound to, we have agreements in place that direct us to work it out with each other compassionately.
With respect to tobacco, we are a non-smoking community.There is no smoking/vaping of tobacco either indoors or outdoors.Vaping or smoking other substances may be allowed in private spaces (indoors and outdoors) if it is not a nuisance to others in the community.
We have deliberately avoided creating paved paths in the community in order to allow groundwater to be absorbed. Instead we have used gravel paths, relying on a grid product to keep the gravel in place. We have a policy of using organic gardening in the whole community and do not use pesticides. We have encouraged members to use electric vehicles by enabling charging stations to be added to our infrastructure and being flexible about how electricity payment is done. Two households have installed solar panels and the community has encouraged the use of solar panels on one garage to facilitate this.
Evans Oaks members participate in activities according to their ability and skills. A person who is unable to climb a ladder may be a great seamstress, for example.There are tasks involved with maintaining our infrastructure which do not require a high level of physical exertion.Our policies and agreements are written specifying that we will revisit the necessity of paying for certain types of work on the property as members are less able to perform this work themselves.
Yes, we welcome all ages. Our present membership ranges in age from 3 and a half to 82. Currently there are two children in our community.
All homes but one have an assigned garage space for a single car. Unit 200 has an assigned parking space instead. In addition, there are 11 parking spaces near the garages, one of which is designated ADA and the others are available for home owners, tenants or their guests.
The Evans Oaks community building, the Hub, includes a guestroom/bath which may be reserved by EO members for up to 5 consecutive nights.
We describe our community as “Co-housing light” which means we have relatively fewer scheduled community events such as group meals. We tend to have more spontaneous get-togethers such as pop up movies or gardening together. We work on keeping our governing bureaucracy to what is necessary and effective.