"It's a great, wonderful place," says Jason Innes '93-94, who moved into the Dudley co-op after two semesters in Adams House. "It's good-sized community--40 people are more supportive and personal."

"We have a working community. I know what houses can offer eventually, but the co-op gave me that immediately," Innes says.

And while co-opers say this way of life is not for everyone, they also say co-ops have diversified.

"It's a real mix," says Dudley co-op tutor Elizabeth DeSombre of the co-op population. "I've been here three and a half years and it's always changing."

In fact, Innes says, the co-ops have shaken off much of the old stereo-types.

"The co-ops have lost their stereotypes-it used to be crunchie, at least half the people were hippy, into drugs and natural, tofu," Innes says. "The food is still vegetarian, but its not as hard core anymore--there are more different kinds of people that want to live here."

Hourigan says residents of the co-ops have always tended to be more politically liberal.

"A lot of people at Harvard identify with the mainstream. At the co-op, they set up their own environment," he says.

But Hourigan says he has noticed a decline in political interest and activity in the Dudley co-op population in the past three years.

"There was a different crowd in the past--more politically active to the left and involved in everything. It was interesting and exciting--a funkier crowd," Hourigan says. "Now people are still on the left, but are not as involved in expressing that and maintaining that. It's more to the center through slightly to the left."

Still, others say, they appreciate the co-ops' supportive environment.

"In general people her have more similar values," says Carter. "I find that in the houses people place are more competitive. Here it's more laid back. People place more importance on other things in their life, not just on getting a high paid job--people are more concerns about people and less about status."

"It's the only place where you choose where you live and you know the definition of community," says Innes. "You decide and try to live there."

Although the co-ops constitute quite a hike from classrooms and other campus centers, residents say they don't mind.

"It's nice to walk here," Innes says. "And leaving school behind to go to a place that's home."