Affordable Intentional Communities: Together We Will End the Housing Crisis

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.

The housing crisis in the United States and beyond has reached critical levels.

Access to affordable housing is increasingly out of reach, particularly for young people, low-income families, and first-time homebuyers. The reasons are complex and multifaceted: inflation, limited housing stock, complex regulations, speculative investments, widening wealth gaps, and more all play a role in driving up costs.

However, there may be a simple, community-based solution: affordable intentional communities.

What Are Intentional Communities?

Intentional communities are groups of people who choose to live together (or nearby) based on shared values. These values often include social connection, sustainability, and increasingly, housing affordability.

Many communities, particularly cohousing communities based on homeownership, often have higher-than-average home prices and monthly fees. At first glance, it may be easy to dismiss these communities as out of reach for low-income individuals and families. However, there is more to the story.

In response to the growing housing crisis, communities across the United States are actively working to make their neighborhoods accessible to people of all income levels. Some intentional communities have already achieved mixed-income neighborhoods, while others are developing innovative housing solutions made possible through intentional collaborative design.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to find affordable intentional communities that might align with your values and budget, check out the Money & Community online mini-course. Priced at $27, with scholarships available, this course offers practical insights into affordable community living.

Important Note: If you or someone you know urgently needs housing, intentional communities may not be the best immediate solution, as joining often requires a significant investment of time (months or even years) and may not be suitable if you’re in a crisis.

7 Key Ways Affordable Intentional Communities are Created

1. Reducing Home-Building Costs

The cost to build a family-sized home can be prohibitively high, with traditional homes averaging hundreds of dollars per square foot. Many affordable intentional communities use low-cost, DIY construction methods, such as straw bale, cob, and other earthen materials, to reduce costs. These methods are often viable within communities that pool skills, tools, zoning permissions, and labor to make construction affordable. Think of the old-fashioned barn-raising approach.

When building new homes isn’t possible or desirable, intentional communities can be ideal settings for prefab home innovations. For example, Geoship is pioneering affordable, climate-resilient geodesic homes made from bio-ceramic materials. Funded through decentralized investment, Geoship is creating homes that are not only affordable but also environmentally sustainable, allowing community residents to invest directly in their housing infrastructure. You can learn more and join Geoship as an investor here.

2. Redefining Equity in Housing

In the United States, wealth accumulation often depends on homeownership, where real estate appreciates over time. However, this model also drives housing prices ever higher, making homeownership inaccessible to many. The Community Land Trust (CLT) model offers an alternative by removing property from the speculative market. A CLT is a non-profit entity, typically managed by residents and local stakeholders, that owns the land and keeps housing permanently affordable.

When you join an intentional community with a CLT, you might purchase a long-term lease on your home, typically for 99 years, instead of owning the property outright. In some cases, CLTs are combined with housing cooperatives, where you hold an ownership stake in the cooperative rather than leasing directly. This model allows for housing access at a fraction of the traditional cost, though it limits wealth-building through property appreciation. Some communities find a middle ground by capping resale prices, balancing affordability for new members with some return on investment for departing members.

This model raises important questions about our relationship with wealth creation, generational legacy, and home.

3. Revolutionizing the HOA Model

An HOA (Homeowners Association) is a legal structure that creates neighborhoods with shared governance and maintenance. Unfortunately, in the United States, HOAs have become synonymous with restrictive regulations, fines for minor infractions, and top-down decision-making. Most HOAs hire outside management companies to enforce rules, leaving residents with little say.

Intentional communities that adopt an HOA structure often do so differently, prioritizing transparency and collaboration. Instead of rigid rules enforced by an external body, community members come together neighbor-to-neighbor to make decisions. This participatory model empowers residents, reduces costs, and fosters a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.

4. Eliminating Dependence on Landlords

Some of the most affordable housing options in the U.S. are found in manufactured home communities, including trailer parks, mobile homes, and RV parks. Unfortunately, residents of these communities are often vulnerable to rent increases and other landlord-driven decisions, with little power to negotiate.

Intentional communities offer an alternative. For example, ROC USA has helped more than 300 manufactured home communities transition into resident-owned housing cooperatives. These cooperatives empower residents with a stake in their housing and ensure long-term affordability. Within intentional communities, landlords (when they exist) are often resident stakeholders, allowing for greater trust, negotiation power, and community-driven decisions on rents and housing improvements.

Many intentional communities do have landlords, who may or may not live within the community—especially in group homes, cooperatives, or collectives, often found in urban areas that pool rent payments. Even in these cases, the community setting provides greater negotiation power as a group compared to renting individually.

5. Creative Funding Models

“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” —Margaret Mead

Affordable intentional communities often get creative with funding to make housing more accessible. These communities can:

• Apply for government grants or subsidies
• Fundraise and apply for grants as non-profit organizations
• Source low-interest loans from community members
• Share resources to offset costs
• Develop rent-to-own options for residents
• Retrofit existing spaces or add accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for rent
• Create smaller private dwellings with shared common spaces
• Develop community businesses to reduce member fees
• Set aside a percentage of housing units for low-income residents

The possibilities are endless when people work together with creativity and commitment, opening the door to affordable intentional communities.

7. Pairing Needs to Build Resilience

Affordable intentional communities often bring together people with complementary needs, creating mutually beneficial arrangements that increase resilience.

For example, a new model of intentional community that has gained traction in recent years pairs elders with children impacted by foster care or trauma. These intergenerational villages provide healing in a safe and stable community. The Treehouse Communities are one such example.

Other programs match seniors with other seniors or younger people who may have space within their home to share or be themselves ready to open their doors. This can help lower living expenses in a safe way. It’s not a full fledged intentional community, but home sharing can be a great step for those interested in exploring a more communal way of life. 

Veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless than other Americans. In New Orleans, Bastion supports injured veterans and their families who live alongside military and civilian volunteers. By pairing vulnerable groups with volunteers, a new paradigm of housing is possible for those with needs and those able to meet those needs.

6. Building a Culture of Sharing

At the heart of affordability strategies in intentional communities is a strong culture of sharing.

In these communities, sharing is encouraged on many levels. Some go all out by sharing incomes, bathrooms, and even clothing. But most communities share resources in a way that feels similar to old-fashioned neighborhoods or traditional villages, where people have private homes but freely borrow a cup of sugar, grab a ladder, ask an older kid to babysit, or co-own expensive tools.

Housing costs are just one of many rising expenses today. By living in close connection with neighbors, expenses for food, childcare, eldercare, maintenance, and even healthcare can be significantly reduced. In this culture of generosity, favors aren’t expected to be returned directly; instead, people pay it forward when others are in need. This system thrives on trust, transparency, and open communication.

Sharing within communities is about more than just saving money. It’s also about enhancing health, wellness, and a sense of belonging. Growing vegetables together or tending to a communal flock means better food access for everyone. Daily opportunities for connection strengthen our mental and physical health. Elders can age in place, and children can grow up in the supportive environment of a village.

Examples of Affordable Intentional Communities

Are you interested in examples of affordable intentional communities? Here’s a sampling of communities across the U.S. with a mission to provide accessible housing:

• Jamaica Plain Cohousing – Massachusetts
• Elderspirit Community – Virginia
• Boulder Housing Coalition – Colorado
• Golden Gate Cohousing – California
• Veterans Off Grid – New Mexico
• Stone Soup Cooperative – Illinois
• New Village Life – Florida

These intentional communities are just a few examples of how diverse groups can work together to create affordable, sustainable housing that meets the needs of residents.

Finding Affordable Intentional Communities

Are you looking for an affordable intentional community to join? Perhaps you’re considering starting one to help address the housing crisis. Share your story or ask questions in the comments below!

To take your next steps toward affordable community living, join the Money & Community mini-course. This course provides valuable information for anyone interested in:

• Renting, owning, or building a home in an intentional community
• Avoiding costly community models
• Finding affordable regions in the U.S. and other countries
• Understanding community membership fees and dues
• Keeping a remote job, finding work, or planning for retirement in community
• Contributing meaningfully to projects and co-creation with neighbors

Affordable intentional communities can provide a pathway to affordable living while fostering social connections, resource sharing, and a sense of belonging. Yes, it really is possible to live affordably and joyfully within a community. Learn more and start finding your community today.

Important Reminder: If you or someone you know needs immediate housing, intentional communities may not be the best first option due to the time it takes to join. A few communities (like Catholic Worker) have a service mission, but most do not and are not equipped to provide emergency housing.