Pleasant Hill Cohousing
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Meet Our Members
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Abe, David, Zander
We are a biracial two-dad family with a son in middle school. We moved from Oakland to Pleasant Hill Cohousing 2018. It is an amazing place to live – so many sweet relationships with neighbors. Living in cohousing helps us live in accordance with many of our values–working together to care for our community, sharing resources, living sustainably, being prepared for climate disruption and disasters, practicing naming our needs and boundaries, making decisions using consensus, etc.
David and Abe met as volunteers for a queer/trans meditation group at the East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland. David is a therapist who enjoys sleeping in, coffee, laughing loudly and playing with our bunny. Abe is an environmental scientist who first fell in love with intentional communities while a student at Brown University. Zander likes outdoorsy stuff - climbing, fishing, invasive species control (ask any resident). As queer parents, we are grateful to live in a village where we have a strong sense of belonging and to have our cohousing community include a significant number of households with LGBT folks.
Amy
My ex-spouse and I and our two kids, Paul (born 1996) and Miriam (born 2000) moved in here in Fall 2001 at the same time as the other 31 original households.
PHCH is a fantastic place to raise children - eating delicious common meals and not having to do dishes is a big help. Our kids attended Fair Oaks Elementary next door, their assigned middle school Pleasant Hill and, through an intradistrict transfer, College Park HS. There are all sorts of pluses and minuses with public schools and a large school district, but I think it worked out great for them both.
We found extra MDUSD support when my daughter had to have tutors and independent study because of two concussions in her junior year. The village really did help raise them. They are both young adults now living in their own places in the Inner Bay.
We originally lived in the largest sized unit here, a 4 bedroom, 3 bath. When my spouse and I separated in 2015, I was fortunate that another smaller unit was available, so I moved 50 feet! The community is very accepting of families changing.
When I was working, I bicycled to BART every day, threw my bicycle in a bike locker, and took the BART train to SF that runs at least every 15 minutes and even more often during commute hours. I never drove to work and I know that has helped me juggle the demands of work and home. I am now happily retired and know I can travel internationally for months at a time and that my neighbors keep my condo secure. I'm looking forward to several more decades living here.
Anne & Paul
Anne & Paul came to Pleasant Hill Choosing by a circuitous route. We lived in Palo Alto most of our adult lives. Paul worked for Bank of America, and then several Silicon Valley hi-tech companies. Anne worked at Stanford as a career counselor. Raising and launching our stepfamily (2 kids from each previous marriage) was a challenging and rich experience. Full of Saturday group chores, backpacking, river rafting, boogie boarding, choosing colleges, etc. When it was time to retire, we decided to try living in a rural setting, so we moved to Sonoma County. We loved it! We decided it was too soon to retire, so we both worked at Sonoma State for 6 years. When grand-children came along, we moved to Petaluma to be closer to them - and founded a nonprofit organization serving seniors, the “Village Network of Petaluma,” which is thriving today.
Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2019, an incentive to live much closer to family. 3 of our 4 grand-children lived in Pleasant Hill Cohousing and their parents invited us to consider moving there. Anne and Paul considered the pros and cons and, when a house became available, we jumped at the chance. We have lived here 6 years now and it is one of the best decisions we ever made. We love the multi-generational community and wild life.
Paul works on the Maintenance Committee, with a focus on special big projects like painting and roof repair. Anne, who loves playing with young children and gardening, works on the Landscape Committee, and on the SET that oversees our new work system and helps match people to community roles that interest them.
Barbara
My deceased husband Ted and I founded this cohousing community. Next to raising our two sons, the creation of this community stands highest on my list of life accomplishments to date. I’m writing this after 4 years of planning and construction and 17 years of living here. It is everything I dreamed of and so much more.
During the seven months of Ted’s illness and death and in the year after, our neighbors who are also our friends supported us in endless ways. I needed folks to go out to eat with, and Ted needed visitors. Those were provided in abundance. When he was home and was under hospice care, folks came to say their farewells. That included every single parent of small children who brought their children. A group of women formed adhoc choirs and came to sing wonderful spiritual songs to Ted. During this entire time, it was a friend-neighbor who communicated what was transpiring with us to our community and to other groups of friends outside cohousing. Support continued for me in the following year; a normally conflict-avoidant neighbor got in my face and told me I had to go get help as in a grief counselor. It didn’t leave me much choice when she put it that way. These are some of the many, many ways we support each other. When a 3-year old says to me, “I miss Uncle Ted”, I am again reminded why I love having this as my home.
Today I am enjoying going ballroom dancing several times a week. In our community I volunteer on several committees including the Common House Committee, and I make time to just sit out front and take the opportunity to visit with my neighbors.
Unity of Walnut Creek continues to be my spiritual home after more than 30 years. I’ve been studying Non-Violent Communication for the past several years, and now utilize Ho’ oponopono which is an ancient Hawaiian spiritual practice. These all contribute to my well-being, to my spiritual growth as an authentic, loving person, and to making our planet a more wonderful place for all living creatures.
Bob
Joanne and I were among the original residents of PHCH, and our daughter Jamie grew up here. When we separated and eventually divorced, I moved into a rental unit to facilitate co-parenting. For a few years I lived in another cohousing community in Tucson, but at the end of 2024 I moved back to PHCH.
I’m a semi-retired science and medical journalist. My main avocation is woodworking, and I enjoy using the tools in the workshop and helping others with their projects. I also serve as a teaching assistant for the Mount Diablo Adult Education Woodworking Program.
I love that there are so many young children at PHCH, and I love that they all know my name. It feels like I have a dozen nieces and nephews. I’m also a big fan of our common meals, and I rarely miss one.
Courtney, Jeff, Bebe, Lochlan
Courtney (she/her), Jeff (he/him), Bebe, and Lochlan joined PHCH as renters in the summer of 2021. Cohousing was a brand-new concept to them just months before moving in, but with a young child at the time, they knew they wanted to raise their family in a place where community is central—where neighbors show up for one another, challenge each other to grow, and make shared decisions through thoughtful discussion and consensus. These are values they want their kids to grow up with at PHCH.
Jeff and Courtney are both California natives, growing up in Santa Cruz and Stockton respectively. Jeff works as a software engineer and, outside of work, enjoys baking bread, playing board and video games, watching movies, and camping. Courtney has a background in wildlife disease ecology, conservation biology and has a Masters in Public Health. She works part-time at the Alameda County Resource Conservation District where she designs wildlife crossing structures and works on urban greening projects throughout Alameda County. In her free time, she loves kitchen projects, playing in the dirt, and finding ways to live more sustainably and connected to nature.
Bebe attends Fair Oaks Elementary School next door (Go Bulldogs!) and loves making things, playing with friends, and (like many kids) enjoying some screen time. The family has welcomed a son, Lochlan, since moving to PHCH. He is happiest outside with as few clothes on as possible—listening for "big trucks," airplanes, and emergency vehicles, making his big sister laugh, and enthusiastically rearranging the playroom. Jeff and Courtney are both actively building community at Fair Oaks, including supporting the new PTO.
At PHCH, Courtney currently serves on the Executive, Emergency Preparedness, and Outreach Committees, and stewards the compost system and children’s fairy garden. Jeff serves on the Finance Committee (FAT), COSCom (online communication systems), and the EV & Parking Committees. As a family, they contribute when/where they can and accept that community life—like parenting—works best with patience, humor, hard work, and snacks.
Dana, John, Dale, Leila, and sometimes Mica
Dana, John and Mica moved to Pleasant Hill Cohousing in December 2005 when Mica was one month old. Dale was born in 2007, and Leila was born in 2010. For many years while living here we were a homeschooling family, which worked particularly well in cohousing. We enjoy the day-to-day interactions that come with living in cohousing, as well as the opportunities for our teens to connect with a wide range of ages. Dana is a member of the 6CT. John is on the Maintenance Committee. While John and Dana are separated, each of us lives halftime in the community, taking turns in the house with the kids.
John grew up in nearby Walnut Creek and never really expected to move back to this part of the Bay Area. After working as a geologist for several years, John went to law school, and now works for a large firm in San Francisco. When he’s not working, John likes to hang out with the kids, lift weights, read science fiction, hike in the nearby hills, do carpentry projects, and watch movies.
Dana grew up in Palo Alto and went to UCSC as an undergrad. She is a therapist with a private practice in Walnut Creek, and has worked doing office jobs, as a preschool teacher, and as an SAT and GRE test-prep tutor. In her free time, Dana likes to do arts and crafts, sing, dance, write, work out, fight authoritarianism, and hang out with her kids, her friends, and her cohousing neighbors.
As of 2026, Mica is off at college majoring in math and minoring in physics. They like math, science, robotics, programming, reading, art, and spending time with friends. Dale likes learning new things, gaming, and impressing people with their droll sense of humor. Leila likes playing piano, speech and debate, doing community service projects, arts and crafts, and throwing parties for her friends in the community teen room.
Ellen & Jan
We joined PHCH towards the end of 2007. We were among the founding members of Cobb Hill Cohousing in Vermont in the late 90s. In between our lives at Cobb Hill and our life at Pleasant Hill, we lived in San Diego, Sri Lanka, and San Francisco. We also rented our place out for a couple of years while living in New Zealand.
We lived in Sri Lanka to work with the Nonviolent Peaceforce from 2003-2006. Ellen's background is rather diverse having worked as the Executive Director for the Center for a New American Dream and the Ben and Jerry's Foundation -- and before that as a psychotherapist. In 2014 she completed her PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies in New Zealand. Ellen has done research and writing on "Unarmed Civilian Protection/Peacekeeping" as well as volunteer as a Buddhist prison chaplain in a prison nearby.
Jan's background prior to working with the Nonviolent Peaceforce was a psychotherapist working with perpetrators and survivors of trauma and violence. Jan served on the faculty of the School for International Training teaching peacebuilding online with the Conflict Transformation Across Cultures Program. Jan continues to work as a consultant/coach working with individuals and families. More on Jan can be found at: www.janpassion.org/. Jan’s other work is taking folks on sailing tours of the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean with a 33’ catamaran, Hokahey. www.SailHokahey.com
Between us we have three grown kids: Rachel, Serena, and Adam. We also live with Ella who is a breeder dog with Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Jan loves to sail, paraglide and play racquetball and ultimate frisbee. Ellen loves to paint, walk, and dance and practices Buddhism. They like to make ceramic art together in the Cohousing art studio, as well as play pickleball with neighbors.
Ellen is on the Financial Advisory Team, as well as several ad hoc committees that address environmental and financial topics. Jan is on the Connection, Compassion, Courage, Curiosity, and Clear Communication Team as well as Kairos group – exploring unconscious bias and racism, as well as the PHCH Men’s Group.
Jeff & Lynn
Jeff: I had been interested in cohousing for many years and finally in August 2006 we arrived! I enjoy playing with the kids, jumping in the pool and hot tub, and having unplanned moments. I work as a software engineer and systems manager at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory. Along with cohousing I love backpacking, music, and scuba diving (in warm waters!).
Joanne
I have loved living in cohousing from before there were houses here! Part of the forming group, my former husband and I were very excited to join this community and help plan its beginnings. We even shared a home with other future cohousers while construction was happening.
Our daughter, Jamie, came along in 2003 and joined an amazing "girl pack" of many girls (and some honorary boys) close to her age. She has loved growing up in cohousing which has given her social confidence and leadership skills. I am grateful for amicable co-parenting with Jamie's dad who also lives at PHCH.
I am an elementary school counselor for the local school district, and love my job with children, families and teachers. I play guitar and bring music into the classroom as well as the cohousing community, feeling energized by the musical talent and artistic creativity right here at home. I am a spiritual seeker and participate in a number of religious communities including our local Unitarian Universalist and Unity churches. My favorite places in our community include the chicken coop, our common house great room, and our outdoor gathering spaces such as the Old Oak Lawn.
I am on the Landscape Committee and Stewardship engagement team (SET) As well as being steward of a number of items throughout the community.
Maggie, Reed, & River
Maggie and Reed moved to PHCH from North Oakland and South Berkeley in 2017. Maggie grew up in Alaska and mostly in Pittsburgh, PA. She works as a transformational coach.
Maggie is on the Stewardship Engagement Team (SET), Social Committee, Kairos Community Tools Group (helping to find tools for conflict and anti-racism). Outreach Committee, and is a tour guide for the monthly cohousing tours. She is lover of plants and magic.
Reed was born in the central valley of Stockton, CA. Reed is a chaplain and musician. Reed is on the Common House Committee, Social Committee, and stewards the Free Table, lawn mowing, and path lights. They love working in the woodshop, singing with their neighbors, and soaking in the hot tub.
Our dear River is the youngest mango. He was born at home in PHCH in 2025 with a midwife who was a former PHCH resident in the same unit! He enjoys dancing to all music, scooting around the neighborhood, “porching” in the evenings, and pushing the many little kid vehicles around.
Marian & Harry
We moved from San Francisco to Pleasant Hill CoHousing in September 2001 with our 6th-grade daughter, Emily. Having a multi-generational community was a huge plus for each of us then, and still is. We love having families with children in the community and in our lives.
Harry has served in many capacities during our 25 years here. He is currently a member of the Special Projects Implementation Team, the Electric Vehicle (EV) Group, and the Cold Water (Irrigation) Team. Harry enjoys fixing things and solving mechanical problems around the Community. Marian is currently chair of the Risk Management Team (RMT), which educates the community about insurance and legal issues. She has been a frequent facilitator and has cooked in the Common Meal rotation for 25 years.
We are now retired, and both spend time volunteering. That keeps us busy and active–so much help is needed! We enjoy art, attending live music and theater, and spending time with friends. Living in CoHousing has been a good fit for us. We continue to learn about ourselves and our neighbors as we work through the many complex challenges that living in a community offers.
Mary & Rachel
Mary and Rachel joined the community in 2008 as renters, later purchasing a home, after relocating from the Lake Tahoe area for our younger son’s high school years. Mary is a family doctor and Rachel is a retired nurse practitioner. Our younger son, B, has lived with us most of the time, and our older son, P, who was away for college when we came in 2008, lived at PHCH with his partner, E, for a summer. Our family is bi-national- Canadian and US citizens. Over the years we (together and individually depending on work and family circumstances) have spent time both in California and at our other home in British Columbia.
PHCH has been a great place for B to mature as he pursued his education from high school through graduate studies in history. He has been on the cold water committee, mows the community lawn, and is always ready to help neighbors in between his studies. During her short time in our community, E (a professional ballerina at the time) got to know several families by providing childcare and dance lessons while P was busy commuting to work in SF every day as a financial analyst.
As our family’s needs have evolved, we have been fortunate to be able to move within PHCH a number of times to adjust to changing situations. Our family holds the record for having occupied the largest number of different units at PHCH over the years! But no matter where we live, community life at PHCH is special and rewarding. With a wonderful mix of generations and people, both “old timers” and “newcomers” (and those in between like us), there is a wealth of knowledge, creativity, and empathy. The opportunity to know people in new ways and to connect in new and unexpected ways through committee work and social events is at the core of the cohousing experience we appreciate.
In our Covid-19 virtual world, it is now possible to participate in Community Board Meetings and committee work from Canada where we are currently residing. Mary continues on the Security Team and Rachel is with the Risk Management Team. Although travel is more complicated now, we are still able to come to California every few months. We look forward to seeing old friends and neighbors and also meeting new ones every time we come home to PHCH!
Pictured is Ember, our newest family member (adopted from SF SPCA in 2015- thanks to the efforts of E and P.) She is currently filling-in the empty space in our nest that is reserved for grandchildren!
Meghan, Brian, & Sierra
We moved to PHCH in March of 2019 after being interested in cohousing for a few years. The people were the biggest factor in our decision to move here and have really made it home for us. We love the common meals together, meetings and sharing circles, and all the in-between casual interactions and gatherings that are prolific here. We are also grateful for the friendships we've developed with our neighbors. We always wanted to live right next to our friends, and now we do!
In 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Sierra, and are so grateful to be parenting her in this beautiful, multi-generational community of neighbor aunties/uncles/cousins.
Additionally, we love hiking & backpacking, bicycling, traveling & exploring, and interacting and connecting with people. Meghan has a background in physics education, loves writing, and is strongly attracted to anything chocolate. Brian is a Transformational Coach who loves good coffee, meaningful conversation, and a bit of playfulness along the way. Sierra (currently 4.5 yrs) loves climbing, tumbling, reading, and art.
Meghan is on the Common House Committee and Brian is on the Finance Team. Currently (2026), Brian is also on the SET (Stewardship Engagement Team) and the Facilitation Team.
Nancy, Tim, Naomi and George (Geo)
We have lived at Pleasant Hill Cohousing since 2019, welcoming Naomi and Geo to the family along the way. We value knowing our neighbors and being part of each other’s lives. Some days that means getting together to do fun things like working in the children’s garden, summer pool parties, or impromptu play time on the lawn. Other days that means working together to get work done- attending meetings, showing up at work parties, or working through a challenge together. We are grateful for all the support we have received from our neighbor friends as we raise our children, and love seeing the friendships they form with neighbors of all ages. We value that the community allows us to lower our environmental impact through shared resources.
We each have roles within the community. Nancy works on the Landscape Committee, while Tim is part of the Risk Management Team, the Computer Connection Committee, the Kitchen Committee and the EV/Parking Committee. We both help with coordinating our common meal system. Naomi can be found making potions out of flowers, making art in the craft room, or riding her scooter. Geo can be found riding his bike, making “bagel soup” in the sand pit at the play structure, or finding anything and everything to climb on.
A little about us… We both work as Registered Dietitian Nutritionists at local hospitals. We like to be outside… hiking, running, swimming, biking and camping. We enjoy a variety of kitchen crafts including cooking, baking, fermentation, jam making, tinkering with our backyard solar oven and growing food.
Patricia
I grew up in a small neighborhood east of Sacramento, CA. where we all knew each other, even building a Congregational church together. I was the middle child among three girls, living a rather idyllic life until my younger sister died when I was 12 plunging me into an existential crisis that left its mark on my life. Rather than follow a traditional path as a woman of the fifties into marriage and motherhood, I moved to Washington D.C. in 1965 to pursue a career in journalism. Following that, I was employed as a science writer by the Philadelphia Inquirer, becoming the first woman in the news room at that paper. Breaking barriers was exciting to me, but I lived to regret several mistakes, particularly the one I made in teaming up romantically with the paper's other science writer. That move cost me my job and I went on to become a free-lance writer while earning a graduate degree in anthropology. Like many women of that era, life experience led me to become an active feminist scholar; I was driven to discover and understand gender equality over the ages which led to publication of my major work, 'The Third Sex, The new Professional Woman'. Our need to achieve gender equality has never disappeared and, in fact, at this point in 2026 is stronger than ever.
Returning to California in 1987, I lived in shared housing in the Bay Area until discovering a movement called "Intentional Community," also known as co- housing. In 2000, I helped create Pleasant Hill Cohousing and have lived here ever since, spending my time enjoying physical activity, walking, attending retreat workshops, and being with neighbors and my partner of three years. It is wonderful to find new love at the age of 88 and wonderful to be living in a community that recreates the closeness of my original neighborhood.
I have written three books, the last being a memoir published in 2020 and I have taught Women’s Studies at Rutgers University and Mills College.
Peter
I was born in England in 1943 and have lived for long periods in England and Southern Ontario, Canada. On a California vacation in 1984 I met Polly, my late wife, and we were married two years later. I taught elementary school for forty years and retired in 2006. I like to read, run, and solve cryptic crossword puzzles. I also follow the mis(mostly)fortunes of my favorite English soccer team. I’m on the following committees: Cold Water Team; Connection, Compassion, Courage, Curiosity, and Clear Communication Team; Emergency Preparation, and Maintenance. I'm a member of our every second Monday men's group. I'm an original member, in my 25th year here, and appreciating our community more every year.
Rebecca, Kenji, and Zumi
We moved to PHCH in 2021, and our daughter Zumi was born in 2023. We love to bike and walk for transportation (want to try our box bike?). We’re into giving our child lots of unscheduled and outdoor time, are interested in unschooling, and hope to nurture a pack of neighborhood kids exploring the world together.
We also enjoy hiking and backpacking, singing around a fire, coffee with friends, disrupting gender norms, and fixing stuff.
Sheryl
Back in 2001, I was beginning to feel more the isolation of city life after a decade in lovely San Francisco. Lucky for me, that’s when I stumbled across a flyer about then-forming Pleasant Hill Cohousing. One meeting and one potluck later, I was hooked! I was attracted to cohousing because I wanted to live in a place where I know my neighbors – infants, seniors, and all ages between - and we work together to make our little neighborhood home. I have not been disappointed.
My favorite things about living in community are common meals, knowing everyone, and both fun and work with my neighbors. I'm on the Facilitation Team and I help take care of the chickens. Outside of cohousing, I volunteer at San Quentin as a teacher of Non-Violent Communication. Together with Susan and Yehudit, I attend monthly meetings of the Oakland chapter of Coming to the Table. For fun, I like to go to the movies and on bike rides, sing, and hang out with my friends and neighbors.
Sue
I'm retired now for 18 years and I am settling in nicely to what I thought would be a relaxed lifestyle. Of course, because I am who I am that is not the case. I am a potter and we have a small but very complete studio here at Lisa Lane Commons so I am there whenever I have time because that is what truly makes me happy. Because I have 2 children and 3 grown grandchildren who have varied and exciting lives, I take time often to interact with them as they all live close by. I am active here on a couple of committees. I enjoy the little ones, especially the babies, so I like to use a slice of time for them. I hike when I can and there are many places in the Bay Area to do that. I am lucky enough to have a little income from my pottery and so I can travel and I do often.
Susan
I've been here since we found the site (2 years before move-in) and I'm very glad to have been part of forming our community. That was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced -- watching our community take shape physically (the buildings) and interpersonally.
After almost 25 years, there have been a few surprises (some good, some hard) but I'm very happy here and I can't imagine living anywhere else. I love my cozy house with the clean quiet hydronic heating, and the big windows that let in lots of light.
Being part of a community is a good fit for me. I like knowing my neighbors. I feel that I am "known" in a way I've never experienced before. I feel reassured knowing that there are other minds thinking about how to care for our community - the physical structures and the interpersonal. And, even though there are lots of activities going on, I like the sense of freedom to participate if I want to but knowing that if I don't, it doesn't mean others won't have a good time.
In 2015 I retired from UC Berkeley where I worked for 20 years at the Career Center, managing the website and other techie projects. I'm enjoying retirement very much -- it gives me time to work on trying to make the world (and our country) a better place. Currently I'm very involved with one of our local activist groups, Indivisible ReSisters Contra Costa, organizing protests every Saturday along with overpass visibility actions and other projects.
As one of the elders of our community, I'm slowly working towards handing over many of my community responsibilities to the next generation. For example, until recently I was the community bookkeeper and a member of the Financial Advisory Team. I'm still chair of the Outreach Committee which means I'm the contact person for outside inquiries, and I'm the webmistress for this website. When we have an available unit, I'm also chair of our HomeBASE Committee which helps find new community members.
For fun, I enjoy going out to eat with friends, chatting with my neighbors, being outdoors, hanging out with my neighbor's cat Cleo, watching movies, reading, sitting on my back patio in the warm weather, and singing.
Susie, Benjamin, Nova, Acacia
The Barr-Wilsons (Bdubs) originally hail from both the east and west of Washington State from Prosser to Kent. Susie and Ben met at Western Washington University where we worked in the office of admissions with an inviting crew of passionate students who helped usher in prospective students. Susie graduated with a degree in Recreation that she has put to good use as a program and challenge course manager at Lazy F Camp and Retreat Center, youth director at a United Methodist Church, program coordinator for Girl Ventures in San Francisco and more. Ben graduated with a degree in math and physics education and since spent the past 15 years crafting educational experiences that encourage curiosity and grow problem solving skills though critical and creative thinking.
Somewhere in the middle of this from 2007-2009 we spent two years as volunteers with the United States Peace Corps in South Africa living and working in little village in the Limpopo Province called Mokuruanyani. Here Susie built an after-school girls club with the local women educators and caregivers to empower grade 7 girls and Ben worked as a teacher-trainer and brought a functioning computer lab and training program to the village.
Upon returning from Africa we spent five years in Oakland and San Francisco while Susie worked on and received her Masters from San Francisco State University in Recreation with an emphasis in young women’s empowerment through outdoor adventure programming and Ben taught at Mission High School. We moved back to Washington for four years to be closer to family members and are now returning to to the Bay Area.
We are coming to Pleasant Hill Cohousing from Bellingham Cohousing where we lived for our last four years in Washington State. During this time in 2016 our youngest was born, Acacia. She is a joy who loves exploring our world, dancing, swinging and laughing. Previously In 2013 Nova was born in Walnut Creek. Nova is our little analytical man who wants deep answers to deep questions. He is a storyteller who enjoys a good audience and is an amazing big brother to his little sister.
Veena and Murthy
***2018 fall- we are currently in India spending some time with family ***
We have been living here since the fall of 2003, but involved with the group since early 1999. It was great to move into a place where we knew all the neighbors and their kids! I (Veena) love that I get to spend time with the kids when I want to and have on occasion organized some craft projects for them, which can be so much fun. The original 'girl pack' are teenagers now! And being able to just knock on a neighbor's door to borrow anything (soymilk, onions, muffin tray, food dehydrator are all recent examples) reminds me of my childhood growing up in India where this is a common occurrence.
Murthy and I are vegans and enjoy cooking the occasional vegan common meal for the community. We also have learnt permaculture and try to grow some food in our tiny backyard. I am on the "Decision Log Committee" (responsible for maintaining a log of all the decisions the community makes) and the Cold Water Team (periodic maintenance of our sprinkler system) Murthy is part of the Computer Connection committee (the committee that maintains our ingeniously laid broadband community network), the Cold Water and Hot Water teams and is also on the Garden Committee as time permits.
We both enjoy going on hikes, and helping neighbors out when there is a need, and living in community.
W & K
Our family joined the Pleasant Hill Cohousing community in 2013 when our two boys were in preschool. Our boys are going to be fifth and third graders in the fall of 2018. They are currently homeschooled by their mom, a full time homeschooling teacher. The boys are busy learning various languages and other subjects, in addition to the California standardized education. They are bilingual and hope to be tri-lingual in a few years. Their dad works in an environmental field to protect our natural resources. We love hiking, swimming, kayaking, biking, camping, learning new things, and going to new places to further educate ourselves to be nicer to the earth.
Yehudit
I'm a semi-retired professional violinist, classical (performed for many years with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Fremont Symphony, and other Bay Area groups) and jazz. I've recorded 4 jazz CDs. During the pandemic, I started writing original songs and studying voice. Currently I am a co-leader of the jazz trio Sly & DRY and a member of the folk-rock-roots collective Cosmic Butterflies of the ‘Verse, led by my cohousing neighbor Joanne Cosmos Finn. I also love playing and singing for community events like our Winter Solstice celebration.
I have been a participant in the UNtraining (untraining White liberal racism) and a member of Welcome to the Table, a racial reconciliation circle, for over 5 years. I also participate regularly with Jewish Gateways, a Jewish learning and celebration network. Other interests include hiking, cooking, group singing, and the group- process aspect of community building.
I found out about cohousing many years ago, and knew it was the way I wanted to live. I worked for several years with a group in Marin County (where I lived for 30 years), trying without success to create cohousing there. When the Pleasant Hill group found our site, I joined, realizing that it was my best chance to make my cohousing dreams real -- even though it meant relocating to a part of the Bay Area that was wholly new to me. I was one of the first people to move in when our homes were completed, and have lived here ever since. I am currently active on our Facilitation Team, Outreach Team, Financial Advisory Team, and Community Online Systems Committee.
Over the years I have lived here, I have had some difficult moments, but no regrets. I like and respect all of my neighbors, and feel that I can be real with them. I love the spontaneous social activities that happen because we're all here. I am fascinated and challenged by the consensus decision-making process. I continue to hold to the vision of living in a creative, resourceful community where there is a commitment to resolve conflict peacefully, transcend differences, and create win-win solutions. As an older single woman, I also enjoy living in a multi-generational community that includes children.