Long Island’s Growing Co-Housing Movement is Transforming Community Living Through Strategic Property Planning

While Long Island has long been known for its traditional suburban neighborhoods, a quiet revolution is taking place across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The co-housing movement—a form of intentional community living that combines private homes with shared spaces and resources—is gaining momentum, offering an alternative to conventional housing that emphasizes community connection, sustainability, and affordability. However, developing these innovative communities requires careful navigation of complex property survey requirements and shared ownership structures that differ significantly from traditional real estate development.

Understanding Co-Housing and Intentional Communities

Cohousing is an intentional community that combines private homes with shared indoor and outdoor spaces, designed to support connection, collaboration, and interdependent community life. While there are multiple models for this lifestyle, typically, members own their own homes and share ownership of common buildings and resources according to their location and needs. Cantine’s Island is legally structured as a homeowners’ association and along with the common house, green, and nature preserve, residents also share a garden, a parking lot, certain large appliances such as lawnmowers and a communal washer-dryer, as well as a beach along the Esopus, and a resident boathouse with shared kayaks and canoes.

Arfin believes there is a Long Island constituency for cohousing/intentional community development but there are substantial obstacles. Arfin believes there is a Long Island constituency for cohousing/intentional community development but there are substantial obstacles. This is especially true in New York State, where anti-fraud laws such as the Martin Act make it hard for individuals to pool the financial resources necessary to get a cohousing development off the ground.

Critical Survey Requirements for Shared Ownership Development

Developing intentional communities requires sophisticated property surveying to establish the complex ownership structures that make co-housing possible. All plats and the legal description are incorporated into the Declaration to create a formal property owner’s association. The plat is created during the application process outlined above. The requirements for a condominium plat are reflected in Texas Property Code § 82.059 as follows: the name and a survey or general schematic map of the entire condominium, the location and dimensions of all real property not subject to development rights, or subject only to the development right to withdraw, and the location and dimensions of all existing improvements within that real property, a legally sufficient description of any real property subject to development rights, label

A survey which documents the perimeter of a tract or parcel of land by establishing or re-establishing corners, monuments and boundary lines for the purpose of describing the parcel, location fixed improvements on the parcel, dividing the parcel or for platting. Boundary survey could be non-staked or staked depending type of project or requirements. The difference between non-staked and staked is a staked survey has markers set at the property corners.

For co-housing developments, This survey takes a large parcel of land and divides it into smaller parcels of land known as “lots”. This usually must conform to the review process, guidelines and jurisdiction of a local agency (often the village, town or county board within whose limits the property is located).

Island-Wide Land Surveyors: Local Expertise for Complex Community Projects

When it comes to navigating the intricate survey requirements for intentional community development, working with experienced local professionals is essential. With over five decades of service in Nassau & Suffolk County, NY, we bring exceptional expertise in land surveying. Our commitment to professionalism, reliability, and rapid response sets us apart. Being local experts, we take pride in our thorough grasp of Long Island’s terrain. We’ve been your comprehensive professional land surveyors, proudly serving in Suffolk & Nassau County, NY for over half a century.

For developers planning intentional communities, partnering with a trusted Surveyor Long Island becomes crucial for success. Island-Wide Land Surveyors offers expert land surveyor services for both residential and commercial property owners. Boundary Surveys establish property lines, confirm accurate property corners as described in a deed, reveal easements, encroachments, and follow state or local regulations.

Shared Ownership Models and Survey Implications

In some models, like Community Land Trusts (CLTs), ownership is divided between a nonprofit entity (who owns the land) and individuals within a community (who own the buildings on the land). In some models, like Community Land Trusts (CLTs), ownership is divided between a nonprofit entity (who owns the land) and individuals within a community (who own the buildings on the land). In intrest of keeping this shortish, I found out after much research, we’d only be able to maybe subdivide a couple of 2ac properties and this requires MANY surveys/reports/$money$. We would then also have to have a building plan for each lot thus requiring building permits. If we do not go through w/ official subdivision but start a cooperative w/ shares we are under no restrictions.

It is highly recommended to engage professional surveyors to properly assess a site prior to purchasing any land. A thorough review of municipal and zoning regulations should be completed for assurance that the developer’s project is feasible under local laws and within budget if completed in compliance with such laws.

The Growing Appeal and Future Potential

Affordable intentional communities are emerging as a powerful solution to the housing crisis, offering a path to accessible, community living for people of all income levels. However, there may be a simple, community-based solution: affordable intentional communities. According to the Cohousing Association of the United States, only nine of its 345 member communities are located in New York State, and of those, a full four are in Ithaca. But one of the movement’s longest-running successes is found right here in Ulster County: Cantine’s Island Cohousing in Saugerties, whose first residents moved into their homes in 1997.

As Long Island continues to face housing affordability challenges and residents seek more connected ways of living, the co-housing movement offers a compelling alternative. However, success depends on proper planning, professional surveying, and understanding the unique legal and regulatory requirements for shared ownership development. We believe in keeping our clients informed and involved every step of the way. Choosing Islandwide Land Surveyors means choosing a team committed to accuracy and client satisfaction.