Fostering tight community bonds is at the heart of a 40-unit condo and townhome project in Langley, B.C., where its future residents are leading the development under a cohousing model.

In development by Langley-based Compass Cohousing Ltd., with Surrey-based Lark Group as development manager and builder, Compass Commons stands out because the 33 directors and members of Compass Cohousing will become its occupants. Also unconventional is that only one of the members has professional real estate experience.

Cohousing invites comparisons to co-op housing and does share the community ethos, but unlike co-ops, cohousing has residents own their units under a freehold title. Also unlike a co-op, affordability is not the aspiration, but there are ways cohousing can make living more affordable.

Though there were snags for the directors, the dream of a communal lifestyle where a neighbourly attitude is fostered motivates Barbara Cameron, who is one of the directors of Compass Cohousing and volunteers as financial lead of the construction team.

“There is this very strong holding-on to that vision of that lifestyle at the end,” she told RENX Homes in an interview.

Community first at Compass

Compass Cohousing started with four founders in 2015 — Verla Wallace, Doug Chaffee, Gordon Neate and Chris Howerton — who were inspired by the Danish housing model created in the 1960s. The concept merges intentional social elements with strata ownership.

For example, each unit will have its own kitchen, but a shared kitchen and dining area is also one of its key features. Residents will be able to participate in common meals several times times per week. Other shared amenities will include a media room where movies can be viewed, a workshop, a music room, an exercise room, a common laundry area and a central courtyard.

Cameron, who currently lives in a townhome community, said the design limits the opportunities to know her neighbours. By contrast, Compass Commons will be fashioned so “you’re expecting to be communicating all the time with your fellow residents”.

While it will be an option, no one will be compelled to cook and dine with his or her neighbours, John Frederickson, a director of Compass Cohousing, said in an interview. Residents will be able to devote as much energy as they want toward the community.

Another communal feature is how bills will be shared among the residents. Cameron said this means cohousing will be cheaper on a monthly basis than living alone. She expects to pay half as much for her electricity and internet bills in Compass Commons than in her current dwelling.

Cohousing is an opportunity for people who are unsure about entering the real estate market, Cameron added.

Housing at Compass for 'babies to seniors'

Unique to cohousing is how the members of the development company, some of whom serve as directors, will be the residents of Compass Commons in its 30 pre-sold units. Backgrounds in real estate are not necessary: Frederickson is an elementary school teacher; Cameron a senior business analyst for WestJet.

Compass Cohousing members had to provide a minimum of 10 per cent of the cost of their unit. To finish the financing, Compass Cohousing received a construction financing package from RBC, then Lark and a partner put up the funds for a second mortgage.

The housing at Compass Commons will consist of 36 condo units expected to range from studio to two-bedroom offerings, and four 1,500-square-foot townhomes with three- and four-bedroom options. Ten of the units will be put on the for-sale market.

The condos will start from the low-$600,000s, with the townhomes expected to start just under $1.3 million.

Building a multigenerational community is key for Compass Cohousing – with “babies to seniors” planning to move in, Cameron said. Pre-purchasers to date range from young families to seniors.

Compass Commons will be a short walk from Smart Centres Langley, a retail and commercial hub, and the Willowbrook Shopping Centre farther away. The Surrey Langley SkyTrain project will be nearby once completed, Cameron said.

Ground was broken for the project mid-April, with move-ins expected for fall 2026.

Compass's future

Once construction is finished, Compass Cohousing will disband and transition into a strata corporation, also named Compass Commons.

Being a developer has not been easy, Cameron said. The director role has demanded she quickly grasp new skills and expertise in real estate. Plus, the COVID pandemic and resulting supply chain disruptions were another headache because it delayed the project.

“I never expected I was going to be a developer . . . I would never have expected how much time and effort and knowledge it takes,” she said.

But when she is on the verge of tearing out her hair from the stress, she envisions sitting by the fire pit in the courtyard next to her neighbours with a glass of wine in hand. Then, she said, all the hard work becomes worth it.