Valverde Commons

A low-density cohousing project in Taos, New Mexico

Valverde Commons is an intentional cohousing community of seniors actively involved in the design and operation of their community, who as neighbors know each other and have ongoing social contact.

The 28 individual plots circle a common grassy area with paths providing access and opportunity for socialization. Activities and meetings occur in the common house. A shared barn house includes landscaping tools, a complete woodworking shop, and space for individual projects. Homes are built with energy efficiency and water saving features on sustainability principles.

The idea for Valverde Commons was born in the hearts and minds of a group of long-time Taos residents who hankered to live in community and wanted to do it in their beloved hometown. So far 21 homes have been built, with one more in process.

Valverde’s vision statement is a model for others:

• We are a group of individuals with gifts and talents that we desire to share with each other in a close-knit, supportive community, surrounded by good neighbors. We plan to support each other physically, emotionally, and spiritually as we age. 
• We appreciate and honor the need to balance community with privacy and recognize that spirituality is an individual choice. We share an appreciation of the natural world. 
• We recognize that we need something bigger than ourselves for our community to thrive and encourage members to have a life outside our neighborhood. 
• Valverde Commons is designed to meet the needs of mature adults. However, we value family and welcome visits by young friends, children and grandchildren. 
• We recognize that decision-making is an important, complicated, and ongoing task for an intentional community. We work to establish clear and efficient procedures so that decisions are made fairly with input from all community members. 
• We emphasize and value respect for one another, tolerance, privacy, patience, love, diversity, individuality, compassion, openness, honesty, playfulness, harmony, a willingness to solve problems and to help each other in times of need.
• We wish to stay in our individual homes and our community as long as possible. We commit ourselves to helping our neighbors as they age. When one of us is ill or infirm, we will offer help with company, food, shopping, transportation, and other needs. 
• As a community, we will educate ourselves about health care resources, home health care, and hospice options to be an informed resource for our neighbors. 
• While we intend to help our neighbors to remain in their homes as long as possible, we are not health care professionals and cannot commit to caring for those who need professional care. We will support each other in planning for the possibility of needing more care than the community can provide.