Our Community Vision and Values

Village Hill Cohousing aspires to be a diverse, multi-generational community, committed to compassionate living through respect, kindness, and generosity. We strive to create an ecologically-sustainable neighborhood of fun and joy where we support each other. We commit to responsible self-management for the long-term wellbeing of the community. 

The following are the values we agree to use as the basis for our community interactions and collective decision-making.

Encourage Ecological Sustainability through… 

• Using recyclable, recycled, and secondhand materials, as feasible
• Striving to be good stewards of the land and supporting local ecosystems 
• Supporting growth of organic foods
• Using non-toxic products & practices, where possible
• Continuing to learn about how our ecosystems work and how we affect them
• Making long-term investments in sustainable energy practices and infrastructure

Responsibly self-manage the community through…

• Prudent and long-term financial planning, with the needs of current members and future generations in mind.
  • Using values-based budgeting to plan our spending to best align with what we care about
  • Aiming to make individual financial obligations fair and viable
• Self-Governance grounded in sociocracy, including all voices to reach agreements that are “safe enough to try, good enough for now”
  • Demonstrating respect in the face of conflict 
  • Being flexible in the implementation of our agreements and aiming to prioritize people over rules
• Shared Community Work, honoring our individual commitments of contributing our time, talents and effort to keep VHC functioning well

Foster Community & Connection through…

• Empathetic communication – direct, effective, respectful, passionate, thoughtful
  • Practicing curiosity rather than judgment
  • Committing to conflict resolution and practicing forgiveness
  • Practicing generosity
  • Being willing to learn, change, and grow with feedback
• Social connections that respect the balance between individual connection, community engagement, and privacy
  • Valuing interdependence
  • Sharing meals and other activities 
  • Sharing knowledge and practicing mutual assistance  
  • Engaging with our Village Hill neighborhood, Northampton community, and beyond
• Inclusivity and belonging – understanding our community holds a diversity of backgrounds, identities, and abilities.
  • Valuing difference and the richness it brings
  • Actively seeking ways for everyone to contribute as they can and participate meaningfully in the life and work of the community