For a quick general overview of where cohousing came from and where it can go, check out this video interview of Kathryn McCamant, one the pioneers of cohousing in the US and coauthor of CoHousing: A Contemporary Approach To Housing Ourselves.
Kathryn McCamant and coauthor Charles Durrett founded The Cohousing Company, a full-service architectural firm based in Nevada City and Berkeley, CA.