Build Communities With Intention
We develop cohousing neighborhoods founded on social connectivity to support longer, happier, and more enriching lives.
Our Communities Face Challenges…
Epidemic of Loneliness & Isolation
adults aged 45 and older feel lonely.
Growing Housing Crisis
more homes are needed to address the current US housing shortage.
Changing Demographics
will be 65 or older by 2030, facing a shortage in accessible housing.
Cohousing
An innovative model for building traditional communities.
By building robust communities we can overcome societal challenges such as endemic loneliness, housing affordability, and environmental conservation. With over 170 communities built nationwide, cohousing is a proven model for creating high-functioning communities that harmonize our innate desire for belonging and interaction with privacy and equity of individual home ownership.
Social by Design
Clustering homes around generous shared amenities including a dining room, guest suites, and gardens enhances interaction, security, and communal spirit.
Self Management
From design to operation, residents collaborate in decision making, cultivating a shared sense of collective ownership and dedication.
Shared Resources
By sharing transportation, maintenance, and care, living costs decrease and mutual support thrives.
Balanced Privacy
Homes are privately owned, like any condo, boasting fully equipped kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor space within efficient layouts.
Sustainable Living
Green construction, sharing resources, energy efficiency, walkability, gardening, and nature conservation reduce the environmental footprint.
Many communities falter before they can get off the ground due to financial, governance, and planning challenges.
Partner with a professional to navigate them and thrive.
Interested in Building Cohousing?
- Proven Approach
Access cohousing-specific tools, professionals, and expertise. - Reduce Risk
Avoid setbacks that could delay your community by years. - Manage Cost
Create a feasible budget, secure funding, and control costs with transparency. - Maximize Community
Let us handle the nitty gritty, freeing you to focus on nurturing relationships. - Environmental Stewardship
Build a community rooted in sustainability to endure for generations.
Who We Work With
Cohousing Groups
While community is forged by solving shared challenges, your group shouldn’t have to navigate the complex development process alone. We’re here to guide you through successfully building your community while helping you sidestep the numerous pitfalls along the way.
Landowners
When faced with selling your family property, conflicting emotions can arise. By transforming your land into a cohousing community, you can uphold cherished values and leave a positive legacy for future generations.
Developers
Like you, our aim is to create flourishing communities, but we recognize that financial realities must be addressed. Cohousing offers a proven model that can infuse genuine community and a sense of place in the heart of your development.
Faith Organizations
Religious institutions play a vital role in our social fabric, but demographic changes pose significant challenges for many. Together, let’s explore whether your property could support mission-aligned cohousing, forming a sustainable foundation for your congregation’s future.
How We Work Together
Share Your Vision
Complete a short questionnaire and schedule a time to share your vision and goals with us. We’ll discuss how we can partner together to achieve it.
Build it Right
We guide groups through the process of cohousing development — from assembling a team of experts, selecting the right site, sourcing funds, and avoiding construction pitfalls along the way.
Watch Your Community Thrive
Having been focused on building strong relationships, rather than solving the myriad challenges of development, the group will be poised to start living together as an engaged and high-functioning community from day one!
Navigate Development Together
Typically, cohousing initiatives are founded by residents who unite and collaboratively plan their community through consensus. Along the way, they must surmount complex construction, marketing, and financial challenges. While the process can solidify a profound sense of shared investment and camaraderie, it can also lead to burnout and conflict. Numerous groups have dissolved before their projects could get off the ground. Given the high stakes, why should each group navigate development’s inherent risks alone?
As seasoned real estate professionals, we grasp the complexities and risks associated with development, especially for the uninitiated. Our company was founded to leverage our expertise in property development to empower cohousing initiatives. We guide cohousing groups, real estate owners, and faith groups across the Pacific Northwest and beyond in the important mission of building vibrant communities.
If you envision building a community, we’re eager to discuss your goals and begin assisting you in formulating a successful blueprint for its realization.
Meet Alastair Townsend
Following an accomplished architectural career in Europe and Asia, Alastair realized harnessing real estate development could be a conduit for his creative passion: crafting communities. This led him to obtain a master’s degree in real estate, after which he managed $2 billion in U.S. real estate projects for global firm BGO.
Then Alastair discovered the potential of cohousing, a thriving yet often overlooked niche in real estate. He founded Township to channel his expertise into building communities that nurture social connection and empower residents to enjoy longer, happier, and more enriching lives.
Today, Alastair is a member of 500 Communities, a professional development program lead by one of cohousing’s U.S. pioneers, Katie McCamant. Recognized as a thought leader in housing, Alastair’s insights have been highlighted by leading media outlets such as CNN, WSJ, and NPR.