Suncoast Cohousing represents a dream for establishing a cohousing community in the Tampa Bay area. Conceived in 1999, the group was successful initially in generating interest in the cohousing concept. However, the geographic spread of participants has made it difficult for individuals to put energy into efforts that are "not in my backyard." In addition, the time and money required up front from a core group to reach a critical mass has been an insurmountable hurdle for people with other obligations in life. A "burning soul" might be able to coordinate the latent interest, but as of yet no one has substantially seized that role.

All is not lost, though. More than 100 people subscribe to a bulletin board at Yahoo! Groups, looking for news and waiting to join up with a serious (but fun!) cohousing initiative (see our "website," which also has links to other cohousing efforts in Florida.) Any burning souls or cohousing-savvy developers out there?