Latest Event Updates
Welcome to Tierra Nueva Cohousing
Welcome! Life at Tierra Nueva during COVID is like life anywhere, and unlike life anywhere. We wear masks when called for, and unmask if socially distanced or with our ‘pods.’ We chase after our little ones, enjoy Saturday night socially distanced picnics on our central Green. We are grateful to have a supportive community where we can still connect.
There is so much to learn about cohousing, a lifestyle very different than most neighborhoods. If you’re already familiar with the cohousing philosophy (including consensus-based decision-making, contributions of time to the community, and shared resources), and you’re interested in learning more about this particular community, you’re in the right place!
You’ll learn a lot about Tierra Nueva cohousing on the pages of this website, but please feel free to contact us if you’d like to visit or if you have questions.
Thanks!
Community
If you’ve wondered about what this intentional community structure is all about, we’re happy to fill you in!
Holidays in Cohousing
Aside from maybe a hot summer day basking in the sun with neighbors on the Village Green, nothing beats the holiday season in cohousing. Here are our annual rituals, starting with Halloween and ending with New Year’s Day…
Halloween
If you’ve attended a Progressive Dinner, then you know how enjoyable it is to walk from home to home, enjoying different foods and surprises. Our Halloween night here at Tierra Nueva cohousing starts with an appetizer at home #1, a salad next, main course at the third home, and finally dessert. Halloween progressive dinners are not only a chance to socialize and spread good scary cheer, but we also get to show off our Halloween costumes!
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Of course, the children go trick-or-treating around the community as night falls!
Thanksgiving
About Thanksgiving dinner, Alicia says, “this year our 
Thanksgiving Potluck was so special! I just loved the energy. Some of our members went off to visit friends and family members out of town, while many or our residents gathered in our common house and brought their family members and dear friends to join in. It was such a warm feeling for us all to get to know each other more. I was one who had dinner else where, while my dear partner, Phillip, ate dinner at Tierra Nueva. We both had fun in our different ways. The gathering of folks from here and beyond in gratitude gave a particularly sweet dimension to meals at TN!”
Hanukkah Party
Our annual Hanukkah celebration is a special event attended by everyone!
Holiday Party
Our holiday party rocks! We get together for white elephant gift giving, and sometimes Santa Claus shows up!
Polar Bear Dip January 1
“The polar dip is epic! It sets the tone for an adventurous and fun-filled year!” -Maren
Yoga Instructor Richard Manuputy
Each Monday from 4:30 to 5:30 we have a visiting yoga instructor teaching in our studio (known as the “Gudren Hus”)
Richard Manuputy is a native of Amsterdam and moved to Los Angeles in 1964. He has practiced yoga since 1975. This is when he became a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the yoga classic “Autobiography of a Yogi” and founder of the Self Realization Fellowship. Richard also spent three years in the Anada Yoga Community in Nevada City, California, where he studied Asana yoga. In 2005, Richard spent a month in India undergoing Pancha Karma, a yogic detoxification program.
Richard is co-owner of Peaceful Planet Images in Los Osos, California.
Join us on Mondays at 4:30 for yoga with Richard! ($10-$12 donation)
6 Reasons You Will Love Tierra Nueva Cohousing
Cohousing life involves challenges and growth opportunities, all of which are discovered over time. But talk with residents here and you’ll soon learn that we love living in Tierra Nueva in spite of the hard work of “coho” life. Let’s talk about six reasons you’ll love living in Tierra Nueva:
1. You’ll have a built-in social life. Chances are you’ll make friends easily in cohousing. Between regular meals, landscape work, teams and business meetings, there is ample time to make connections.
2. You’ll contribute your skills/interests to a large group of people. Love gardening, cooking or even cleaning? Teaching children knitting? Bring them to Tierra Nueva! You’ll have a group setting that probably will welcome your skills and apply them.
3. People will cook for you! Cohousing communities pride themselves in having common meals where people get together maybe once, twice or three times a week in the community’s common house. Here at Tierra Nueva, we cook or clean once a month and eat a bunch of times! What a deal! Common meals are one of the things that keep cohousing communities vibrant and connected.
4. You’ll have a say in decision making. Understand the concepts of consensus? Different cohousing communities have different interpretations of consensus, but the bottom line is everyone needs to agree on a proposal for it to pass. Remember, you need to come from the standpoint of what’s best for your community, not what’s best for yourself.
5. You’ll be exposed to different perspectives and different generations. This might not be a benefit in your opinion! But in the long run, learning to work with differences, whether it’s backgrounds or ages, is a good thing. Being a help to an elder, getting to know a 3-year-old, learning about why someone is vegan, disagreeing about where the laundry line should go – these are all learning experiences that we all should have. Living close to these differences is what makes our relationships so special. Difficult sometimes but incredibly special.
6. Location, location, location!Tierra Nueva is located close to the beach, close to a walking trail, next door to a beautiful eucalyptus grove, just 20 minutes from San Luis Obispo’s hiking trails, and half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. It’s beautiful here!
Each day I walk through Tierra Nueva Cohousing and drink in the benefits: a beautiful landscape, perfect weather, neighbors I like (and some I love), and a layout that feels safe. Every cohousing community has its benefits – and I encourage you to learn more.