Alison and Matt both grew up in the Pacific Northwest: Alison in Oregon City, Oregon, and Matt in Spokane, Washington. They met in college in Arizona, lived in Madison, Wisconsin for nine years, and moved back to the Northwest in 2018 to be closer to family. They became familiar with co-housing through friends who lived in co-housing in Madison and were thrilled when, looking for a home of their own after spending the last five years renting, they discovered the Sunnyside community. They like the Sunnyside model because it offers both the privacy and ownership of a separate home as well as the built-in community full of people who value community the same way they do. Their daughter, Autumn, is three years old and is excited about the idea of living on “the farm,” as we’ve taken to calling it.

Alison is a program director for a regional nonprofit and has spent 17 years working for nonprofits fighting for housing justice and food sovereignty. Matt is an urban planner who works on major land use and housing issues for a wide range of local cities and counties. Although hobbies and interests have taken a major backseat with a full-speed toddler in the house, Alison loves reading, yoga, and spending time in nature; Matt loves mountain biking, baking bread, woodworking, and playing music. Together, they like rock climbing, gardening, canning, and more.