Oak Creek Commons Cohousing

Debbie Nicholson moved into Oak Creek Commons in the spring of 2004 with her children Cameron, now 4, Rebecca, 10, Trevor 13, and Daniel 18 (part time). She has lived in the Paso Robles area most of her adult life, and really enjoys the small, safe, and family-oriented feeling of this town.

Debbie says that, especially as a single mother, cohousing has worked well for her family. At first she was a little nervous about how her children would integrate with the rest of the community, but has now learned to relax more, since there are other children here. One of the most positive aspects about Oak Creek Commons for Debbie has been the degree to which she feels safe, and believes that her children are safe within the boundaries of the community. All of us watch out for each other, and watch out for our children, and that is a very safe feeling compared to other types of neighborhoods.

Debbie intentionally bought a home right next to the large kids' room in the Common House, and just one door away from the large play structure, so that she could easily keep an eye on her children, and she finds that here there are also many other eyes looking out as well. Her favorite parts of cohousing are the shared meals, where even her youngest does "pretty well" at enjoying different foods and sitting at dinner with others, the large common laundry facility that allows her to get through lots of loads in less time, and the spacious and well-stocked kids' room. She also appreciates knowing that there is always spur-of-the-moment childcare for the rest of her children if one has an emergency. The hardest part of living here for Debbie so far has been getting used to living in a smaller home than she used to have, and learning to use the facilities available in the Common House instead.