From Vision to Momentum: Gratitude Village Is Stepping Into Its Next Chapter

Something meaningful is unfolding at Gratitude Village Colorado.

Over the past several months, our community has been steadily moving from vision into action—deepening relationships, strengthening our foundation, and taking real steps toward making this village a reality. What began as an idea shared by a few has grown into a committed, diverse, multigenerational group actively shaping the future we want to live in.

At the heart of this work is a simple but powerful truth: cohousing isn’t about building houses. It’s about building community first—and letting the buildings follow.

A Community That’s Growing — and Committing

Today, Gratitude Village is made up of 11 founding families and 12 exploring families—nearly 40 people total, ranging in age from young children to adults in their late 70s. We are artists and entrepreneurs, parents and grandparents, gardeners and hikers, introverts and extroverts. Some of us have lived in close-knit neighborhoods before. Others haven’t—but we all know we want something different than the disconnected way many of us live today.

What brings us together is a shared vision: a multigenerational, mixed-income cohousing community designed with universal accessibility, environmental stewardship, and human connection at its core. We envision kids enjoying safe, unstructured play outside, neighbors sharing meals in a vibrant common house, gardens thriving year-round and elders aging in place with dignity and support.

This isn’t an abstract dream. It’s a carefully planned, community-led project that’s moving forward—step by step, decision by decision.

Real Momentum on Land

Land is often the most challenging milestone for cohousing communities—and this is where we’re seeing real progress.

We are actively engaged in researching sites in Arvada, Westminster and Lakewood, with a strong focus on land west of I-25 that aligns with our values: affordability, access to nature and open space and proximity to transit. Keeping land costs manageable is essential to ensuring Gratitude Village remains accessible to people across income levels and life stages.

Most recently, the City of Westminster invited Gratitude Village to present a pitch deck to their team. Seven future residents stood alongside our development partners—including Charles Durrett, our principal architect who introduced cohousing to the U.S.—to make the case for why this project matters. It was a powerful moment: future neighbors and seasoned professionals speaking together about belonging, sustainability, accessibility, and the urgent need for new housing models. This is what community-led development looks like in practice.

A Pivotal Moment for Gratitude Village

Anyone familiar with cohousing knows that finding people and land is only the beginning. The real work starts when a group becomes aligned, organized, and ready to move forward together. This is where many groups stall—not for lack of passion, but for lack of clarity and shared process.

Gratitude Village is stepping into that next phase.

To support this transition, we’re bringing Charles Durrett back to Denver for a Get It Built Workshop in January 2026. This two-day immersive experience is designed for communities ready to move from dreaming to doing.

“The sooner a group gets organized, the sooner they can move from dreaming to doing.” — Charles Durrett

The timing couldn’t be better. We’re aligning our people, refining our structure, and preparing to make real development decisions together.

What Makes This Workshop Different

The Get It Built Workshop is not a lecture—it’s an immersive, working weekend designed to build shared understanding and confidence. In addition to Charles, key partner consultants will be in attendance, offering real-world expertise and direct access to the professionals who help bring projects like this to life.

Participants will engage with:

• A project manager with years of experience in sustainable, energy-efficient building

• A local architect

• A structural engineer experienced in alternative materials such as hemp, straw bale, rammed earth, adobe, and other natural building methods

• A mortgage broker with the widest range of products to accommodate everyone from first time home buyers needing low to no down payment options to folks wanting to use asset depreciation

• A title company focused on new build communities ensuring the land title is clear for the community and the individual homeowners

• And insight into additional consultant roles we may need to contract with such as civil, soils, energy, mechanical, electrical, acoustic, and environmental engineers

This weekend is about understanding the full ecosystem required to build cohousing—and how future residents fit into it.

Workshop Overview

Saturday focuses on clarity and foundations, including:

• Development roles and responsibilities

• Working effectively as a group

• The development process and timeline

• Community-building exercises

• The cohousing design process and design patterns

• Understanding housing costs and financing considerations

Sunday moves into realism and readiness, including:

• Financial realities: what it will cost and how we pay for it

• Proformas (development budget), construction estimates, and cash flow

• Working with our developers

• Navigating political and approval processes with cities and neighbors

• Marketing and membership growth

• Next steps and committee formation

Lunch is included both days, and participants will also have the opportunity to join Charles Durrett for dinner on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening, creating space for deeper conversation and connection.

An Invitation to Step In — Only 5 Seats Remaining

This is a meaningful moment to get involved.

Becoming a Founding Member means helping shape the community from the beginning—guiding design decisions, supporting development, and ensuring the values you care about remain central. Explorer Membership offers a lighter way to engage, learn, and walk alongside the community as it takes shape.

At this moment, only 5 seats remain for participation in the Get It Built Workshop.

Some of us are here because we want our kids to grow up surrounded by community. Others are here to downsize and age in place. Some are drawn by sustainability or affordability. What unites us all is a desire to live more intentionally, more connected, and more human.

What Makes Gratitude Village Ours

Gratitude Village is not a speculative development. It’s a community-led project built by future neighbors working together. We are creating:

• A Net Zero (possibly Zero Carbon) community with gardens and shared green spaces

• Homes for multiple income levels and life stages

• A common house as the social heart of the neighborhood

• A consensus-informed, sociocratic governance model

• A culture rooted in inclusion, kindness, diversity, and joy

Cohousing works. Communities across the country have proven it. Now, we’re writing our own chapter—right here in Colorado.

What’s Ahead

Get It Built Workshop with Charles Durrett
📅 January 24–25, 2026
📍 Denver, Colorado

💲 $400 per person (free for GVCO Founding Members; $550 for non-members*)
🕘 Saturday 9–5 | Sunday 10–4 (lunch included both days)

*includes a 6 month Explorer Membership

Priority is given to Founding and Explorer Members of Gratitude Village.

Be Part of the Beginning

Cohousing doesn’t appear overnight. It’s built through intentional steps, shared learning, and collective commitment. This workshop is one of those steps—a chance to ground ourselves, build shared understanding, and strengthen the foundation before the first shovel hits the ground.

If our vision resonates with you, this is a meaningful moment to step in. We’d love to have you at the table. Contact Suzie@gratitudevillageco.com for more information and details.