Where residents require more privacy or independence than cohousing provides, clustered single-family housing offers a middle ground. Buildings are sited closer together than conventional suburban lots (reducing infrastructure costs and ecological footprint) but with clear private outdoor spaces. Shared open space is managed by the community’s legal entity.

In the Taos bioregion, clustered housing typically uses courtyard arrangements — groupings of three to eight buildings arranged around a shared outdoor space that provides wind protection, social gathering space, and connection between private dwellings. The courtyard itself is a productive landscape: raised beds, fruit trees, an outdoor kitchen, and seating create a shared outdoor room that extends living space beyond the private dwelling.