Ventura Urban Homestead Cooperative

Ventura, California,

United States

Dear Friends - due to the necessity of renegotiating the loan, this attempt at creating an eco-village is currently on hold.

I hope to start up the effort again in 2012 or there abouts, once the finances of my home are secured. Until then - that's my goal and focus.

I did complete my beautiful earthen-cob structure, and continue to get more and more of my food from the yard. The gray water system is working well, and I have two wonderful room-mates. That's the closest I'm coming to "community" at the moment. (Sigh...) Inspirational, insightful emails welcome.

This is the site of community cob, permaculture, mural painting, music, and graywater projects. It is in the process of morphing into an intentional urban community.

Short-range goals:

One or two more people help to purchase the current property, and set up a communal home in early 2010.

A small group of co-founders to lay out the mission and purpose, legal entity, and form of decision making. We'll be laying the groundwork for a healthy start!

Longer-range goals:

Additional people research, discuss, and continue to shape the vision. The plan is to purchase several adjoining houses and a community space. Housing Co-op or Home-Owners Association look like the legal entities that would fit us best. We'll also have a non-profit so we can secure money for educational efforts we do.

Main principals:

*The new back-to-the-land movement is urban.

*Make home ownership affordable; co-purchase.

*We don’t all need our own; we can share tools, food, cars, space, burdens, joy.

*If you get confused – just ask Nature what to do.

Suggested Reading:

“Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities”

by Diana Leafe Christian**

EVENTS AT VENTURA URBAN HOMESTEAD

Ventura Eco-Communityy Potluck

Sunday, November 22, 5pm

A place and time to hang-out, and talk about starting an eco-community.

At Ventura Urban Homestead

RSVP Rachel Morris (805)648-1267 rachel.earth@gmail.com

Natural Plaster on Cob - Workday

With Betty Seaman

Saturday, December 5th

9:30 to 4:30

At Ventura Urban Homestead

RSVP Rachel Morris (805)648-1267 rachel.earth@gmail.com

( event ent was scheduled for Nov, but had to be postponed due to illness.)

NOTES:

**I just attended a workshop by Diana Leafe Christian. For anyone considering starting or improving a community living situation - I can't recommend her strongly enoug

Status: Disbanded Temporarily - Due to Funding

Contact:

Rachel Morris
Ventura, California 93001 United States
Phone: 805-648-1267

Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses)

Last Updated:1/28/2011

Visitors Not Accepted

(temporarily closed till loan is worked out.)

Visitor Process: Currently, I'm just renting the rooms and enjoying my earthen building. I need to refinance my loan before I do any more work toward a viable eco-village

Affiliations: La Ancla- Ventura

Statement of Housing Non-discrimination:

Our community does not discriminate in regards to housing based on race/color, national origin, religion, sex/gender, family status (i.e. having children, not having children, or being pregnant), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income, age, creed, personal appearance, political affiliation, HIV infection, military/veteran status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity or expression, receiving public assistance, or being the victim of domestic abuse.

Population Members(adults and children): 1 (Currently there is one owner and other folks rent. The idea is to co-own and purchase several more homes.) Non-member Residents: 2 Open to new members: No (Currently we're just trying to get the loan worked out.)	Government Decision Making: By consensus Identified Leader: Yes (Currently as the property owner, Rachel Morris is the) Leadership Core Group: No (Not Yet.)	Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances Join Fee: Yes (This is about co-ownership, so members buy a share of the land.)
Land and Buildings Urban (Ventura has 108,000 people. This is a 1927 residential, ethnically mixed neighborhood.) Land Owned By: Individual community member(s) (The land is shared, but one of the owners is selling his portion.) Number of Residences: 1.5 (The earthen building provides an extra room.) Cohousing: No (Though some private space is important, this is not about separate houses, this is about shared houses.)	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 21-50% (tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, herbs, greens, chayote, beans, squash, onions, lettuce, apples, passion fruit, jerusalem artichoke, artichoke, peppers, eggplant, garlic, ginger(? still in experimental stage), strawberries) Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week (Since this is forming, community meals are on the list of must-haves.) Dietary Practice: Primarily vegetarian (Food is an important part of how we relate to our planet. There is much tasty food grown locally in this area.) Alcohol Use: Seldom used Tobacco Use: Prohibited	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No (There is no common spiritual practice, with the exception of "to practice.") Which Spiritual Traditions(s): Ecumenical (includes "all religions")

Cohousing Details

Cohousing Status:

Forming

(It is at once forming, and, in a location way, already pushing limits.)

Architect:

N/A Using existing buildings.

Click an image to see it full size.

Become an Editor Current editor(s): RMorris

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