The greatest achievement in making Rachel Carson Ecovillage at Providence Heights
(RCE) possible continues to be the bonds that have grown among members and all the
stakeholders determining the project’s success. In 2022, RCE won my allegiance
because of the energy-efficient building design involving the efforts of expert architects,
performance engineers, and ecology and sustainability professionals. All the
developments since, however—winning the design selection process at Chatham,
settling on final designs with the earliest cohousing supporters, negotiating all the
Richland township permissions, and all the changes that preceded our final construction
in McCandless township—have succeeded primarily because of the relationships built
and maintained among key partners.
If engineering new buildings where you’ve lived all your life is like building a biplane,
creating an effective governance model for self-funding a cohousing development and
propelling it through dozens of roadblocks is like building a spaceship. Any breakdown
in the ship’s infrastructure could result in disaster, and there are many potential points of
failure. Any financial, psychological, health, interpersonal, or cultural problems within
intentional communities can result in loss. The challenge of maintaining inclusion,
respect, and full community engagement through listening and collective problem-
solving is enormous, but the benefits of doing so far exceed what you can get anywhere
else in terms of long-term cost, community support, and satisfaction.
The developer of a new housing subdivision makes a profit by giving buyers square
footage, a pleasant interior finish, and a great façade at a low price. They can ensure a
healthy profit margin, because the buyer doesn’t see what materials are under the paint,
hot and cold spots because of thermal bridging, air leaks, poor insulation, and places
where humidity readily condenses into mold. A recent Wall Street Journal article
(September 9, 2026) about custom-built houses noted that it’s very difficult to build for
less than a million dollars. The NC retirees they interviewed ended up spending
$700,000 on their house and $200,000 on the land. Our custom homes were built for us
by a professional team few could afford and are sold at cost with very low future utility
costs. We are our own HOA, with great benefits and low monthly fees. Working together
for our own needs makes a huge difference.
– David Clapp, Founding member, RCE