Design & Planning

Modeled on a Danish housing concept developed in the 1970s, the sixteen homes at Island Cohousing (ICoho) are tightly clustered in a manner that encourages social interaction, provides a safe and supportive environment for children, and maximizes open space: 85% of the land is undeveloped in perpetuity.

There are extensive shared community facilities, including a pond, garden, fields, and a Common House which has all the spaces which we love to have but don’t need every day in our individual homes:  extra guest rooms, kids’ play room, a generous screened porch, and comfortable areas for cooking, eating together, parties, gatherings, meetings, and classes.

Cars are relegated to the perimeter of the property, making the interior landscape a pedestrian-friendly environment.  The six 2 BR, six 3 BR, and four 4 BR cedar shingled homes have clean, spare silhouettes.  All have comfortable front porches, full cellars, substantial salvage and certified wood, and high quality, energy-efficient construction. They are all equipped with composting toilets which convert waste into valuable nutrients rather than contributing to the degradation of the Vineyard’s sole source aquifer.

The homes share a 36 acre site with South Mountain Company (SMC), the design/build firm that developed Icoho (SMC six acres, ICoho 30 acres).  The land was zoned Agricultural Residential; under existing zoning it could have supported a maximum of 10 houses and no commercial activity except home occupations.  The state 40B comprehensive permit that supersedes local zoning enabled the development to achieve enhanced affordability because of additional density and sharing development costs with SMC.

These aspects, along with private fundraising and below-market mortgages provided by two local banks, allowed Icoho to offer four units to families earning 70-80% of median island income.  These homebuyers were chosen by lottery and their houses are deed restricted to ensure long term affordability.