Skagit Commons

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Anacortes, WA
Skagit Commons

We are a cohousing community in Anacortes, Washington. We took up residence in 2022. Was it really only 2017?

It all started with a book, bought by John, handed by Karen to Lynnette who handed it to Dan and Cheryl and Carolyn who handed it to Floyd and Miriam who all read the book and got excited about cohousing. And then there was FOOD and conversation which led to hopes and dreams and lots and lots of excitement and more than a little anxiety as we realized we are really going to do this. The work began

: a corporation was formed, existing cohousing communities were visited, mission and vision statements were drafted, intentional relationship work began, land and zoning were researched and info meetings held. Skagit Cohousing contracted with Cohousing Solutions and began a serious marketing effort. In 2021, we chose a new name and have been going forward as Skagit Commons. Now, at the beginning of 2023, the construction phase of our project is nearing completion of our 30 homes and central common house. We've become close as we've worked together to create this dream and each one of us is thankful for this opportunity to live in community together.

06/05/2026

It would be tempting to think, because we notice herons mainly when they are snatching fish out of our local waterways, that they only eat fish. If that was our thought, we'd be wrong! Our resident stately Great Blues feast on an astonishing array of edibles: treefrogs, voles, shrews, snakes, bullfrogs, crayfish, crabs, and shrimp are only a few of their snack choices. And this is the time of year we are likely to see them feeding up, as they are nesting, soon to have babies to feed. Protected by the Skagit Land Trust, nearby March Point Heronry is the largest breeding colony in Washington State, with up to 600 nests. Want a gander at a heron nursery? There's a camera cam here. Have a peek and wish them bon appétit! Photo by Skagit Commons member Lucia.

05/29/2026

When Schemata Workshop developed the design for our townhomes at Skagit Commons, the architects created on the exteriors of each building a square, blank frame. Grace Kim and her team envisioned these framed spaces as graphic features, to be organized by our community in our own time. Over the course of the past year, the Art Panel Team, expanded the project to include our block of flats, surveyed community members about what kind of images would be most welcome, met with groups of owners to receive and respond to feedback, worked out technical details of printing and installation, and made regular progress reports to the community. This hard work paid off as the final part fell into place: consent for the completion of funding at our last general meeting. Kudos to the crew, Lucia, Trina, Larry, Suzanne, and Mike (the last two are pictured here) who made this happen. Can't wait to see the panels in place!

05/25/2026

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a magnet for tourists the whole state over. With the fields awash in a vibrant rainbow of blooms, the tulip farms are also awash with visitors throughout the month of April.

We Skagit Commoners have found our way around the crowds, especially those of us able to take to two wheels like Catherine, Charles, Joyce, and Shelly, shown here. There are rainbows on the back roads as well as the tourist thoroughfares, and, as bouquet of tulips weighs next to nothing, it's easty to take a little bit of that rainbow home... just ask Shelly!

05/22/2026

They came, they souped, they toured! On Sunday, Skagit Commons played host to a literal busload of visitors. As part of the Cohousing Summit: Seattle, a one-day gathering for anyone looking to explore community-rooted approaches to housing, the Cohousing Institute of the US (now rebranded as the National Cohousing Alliance) offered a tour of cohousing sites from Seattle north. Since the tourists arrived on our campus at lunchtime, a number of neighbors joined them for a scrumptious meal of homemade soup, bread, and salad. Afterward, neighbor (and Coho Institute board member) Shelly gave a brief talk on the origins of Skagit Commons before sending participants off to view a selection of our townhomes, flats, and shared areas. Architect and event organizer Grace Kim was on hand to see how our community has evolved since her team at Schemata Workshop created our community footprint. A short and action-packed visit... which we hope will inspire visitors to dream big!

05/15/2026

At first, the cages worked fine. The little fruit tree starts that neighbors planted near our wetland buffer were protected from the nibbles of curious deer by a circle of wire fencing. But trees will grow (highly desirable), and deer are persistent (it is the way of things), so a group of neighbors decided the best way to save our trees was to put them safely behind a fence.

In cohousing, that old saw, "Good fences make good neighbors", was turned on its head, as Frank and Mike and Sam and Bob turned out to create that enclosure. And so we found that "Good neighbors make good fences."

05/09/2026

Almost here! The Cohousing Summit in Seattle is on our doorstep, taking place May 14 to 16, 2026. This gathering is organized to spread practical learning as well as foster a strong sense of community. The summit is co-chaired by Grace Kim—co-founder of Schemata Workshop, TED speaker, and architect of Skagit Commons—and Mike Mariano, co-owner of Schemata Workshop.

For you who are already living in community, looking to form one, or interested in innovative models for collaborative life, this gathering offers an opportunity to satisfy your curiosity or confirm your choices. At The Cohousing Summit, we will examine how cohousing and other community-centric housing approaches can foster a sense of belonging, diversify housing options, and support individuals across all life stages.

The event will also feature optional tours of Seattle-area communities before and after the summit... including Skagit Commons!

05/01/2026

Hey... that's us! Scenes from our common house dining room and living room.

Address

3509 D Avenue
Anacortes, WA
98221

Website

http://www.skagitcommons.org/

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