Creating a communal, green, co-housing community
The center of the west side, santa cruz
Our Mission
By working together, by investing together and by planning together we have purchased a property to share resources.We want to live in our community, close to our friends & family as well as share meals, gardens, child care and elder care. We want to increase the communities’ social capital to foster relationships that have productive benefits instead of financial benefits.
The land had a church on it that is currently being deconstructed. The COF is doing it’s best to save viable pieces of the building to be recycled. We are so excited for our project to come to fruition and breath new life into this iconic area.
“Real wealth is derived from a blend of financial and social capital. Social capital? While it is vital to our everyday lives (and happiness), the concept of social capital remains something of a mystery to most Americans.” –Charles Durrett (author of Cohousing Handbook)
“Cohousing can be understood as a wealth-creation strategy that allows people to develop affordable housing enriched with an abundance of social capital.”
Our Process
Our mission is to create a co-housing community that fosters inter-generational living with the values of unique Santa Cruz locals. We will be working with local builders, designers and landscape designers, and the Cohousing Association for cohousing solutions to realize our vision. We have met with local city fire & safety, PG&E, civil engineers, city arborist, completed soil tests, drainage tests, environmental studies and historical reports. We have re-worked plans over and over w/civil engineer, architects, landscape designers. We have and continue to meet with community leaders, city council members. city planning staff and neighbors to express our vision and receive their feedback. We have worked together to create a project that will serve and harmonize with the community.
Green Building
Our co-housing community plans adhere to green building standards that are expected of our progressive, eco-centered city such as:
Net zero energy homes
Solar power
Low water use, xeroscape, drought tolerant and a permaculture-approach to landscape and gardens
Built with sustainable and recycled materials
Shared gardens & storage areas
Bio swales
Electric/ hybrid car share for the community
LID stormwater approach to managing all on site runoff
Central space/ kitchen available to locals/non-profits for events throughout year
Goals
We are a local, grassroots group of friends. Together, we are bootstrapping the investment of the circle church to create a great place to live for locals. We want to add value to neighborhood & community, instead of being driven by profit. We want a nurturing, affordable, happy place to live and are willing to risk our life savings for it. Our intention is to maintain the community feel of “the circles” rather than developing this very valuable land into apartments or condos to make a profit.
Project Summary
12 new, green single family homes & 12 ADUs (Additional Dwelling Units aka “granny units”)
Minimum of 2 parking spots per home (not including street parking)
9000’ open space in circle center
Housing for 24-37 families, possibly more
“In Denmark, people frustrated by the available housing options developed cohousing: a housing type that redefined the concept of neighborhood to fit contemporary lifestyles. Tired of the isolation and the impracticalities of traditional single-family houses and apartment units, they built housing that combines the autonomy of private dwellings with the advantages of community living. Each household has a private residence, but also shares extensive common facilities with the larger group, including kitchen and dining areas, workshops, laundry, guest rooms and more.” – Charles Durret, Author of Cohousing Hand