CRECHE (the Charles River Episcopal Co-Housing Endeavor) is a 501c3 nonprofit network of faith-rooted, affordable, and long-term intentional communities committed to social change, sustainable living, and spiritual practice.

Our mission is to create a community-focused alternative to the for-profit housing market that is rooted in relationship and mutuality: co-housing communities in which people live like families, sharing meals, common spaces, and the rhythms of spiritual practice. We’ve planted communities all over the Boston area, and there are currently Creche houses in Allston, Dorchester, and Newton, and Jamaica Plain.

 

Why?

Because soaring rents and plummeting owner-occupancy rates have made Boston an increasingly hostile market for low and middle-income households; rent is increasing at nearly twice the rate of wages. Meanwhile, our housing infrastructure is designed to isolate us from one another, sending us into a full-on loneliness crisis in a time when we are desperate for connection with other people and a grouding in a common faith tradition.

 

How?

CRECHE was founded in cooperation with six Episcopal congregations with a desire to use the resources of The Episcopal Church to create a new form of Christian community. We do this not only by acquiring and renovating property but also by supporting the household communities directly and equipping them with the tools they need to live healthily with one another, including trainings in communication and conflict resolution. We have a long-term commitment to each household, partnering with them as they develop their own identity, grow in their capacity for self-governance, and cultivate a positive presence in their local neighborhoods.