Vashon Cohousing is situated on 12 acres in a location many of us find ideal: Vashon town – small, vibrant and fun – is a five-minute walk one direction. Island Center Forest – 363 acres of publicly owned woods laced with nine miles of trails – is a five-minute walk the other direction.
Adjacent to cohousing are five acres of farmland owned by a nonprofit community land trust. Some cohousers lease portions of the land, where they raise chickens or grow blueberries and flowers. A group called Shoulder-to-Shoulder – comprised of members of cohousing as well as other people from the island – runs a small communal farm, where they grow organic vegetables for their families and friends.
Vashon is part of unincorporated King County, which provides a variety of services to the island. Metro buses operate daily, running the length of the island. A water taxi, owned and operated by the county, provides direct service to downtown Seattle, enabling islanders to commute to jobs in the city. Washington State Ferries also provides ferry service: a ferry terminal on the north end of the island takes passengers to Fauntleroy in West Seattle and Southworth on the Kitsap Peninsula; a terminal on the south end provides access to Tacoma.