Resilient Community Opportunities
The purpose of the Resilient Communities Project is to build a thriving network of very small (typically 5-15 adults plus children) socially and economically cooperative communities that will survive and flourish as the neoliberal (dominant culture) system continues to unravel. We will do so by innovating and demonstrating the transformative power of a truly convivial, equitable, and sustainable culture. We are composed of an experienced support team, multiple Pacific Northwest landholders with from 2 to 120 acres, and an initial formative group of prospective community members.
Many know that our fossil-fuel-powered way of life is destroying the social, economic, and environmental conditions we depend upon for our survival. But fewer know that, despite high hopes, renewable energy technologies cannot and will not save us because there is neither sufficient time nor available resources.
The only feasible way, then, to achieve a livable future for all is for the industrialized world to simplify our lives by steadily reducing our energy use to well below current levels. To be sure, this will require appropriate technologies to enable a simplified way of life and most of us will sooner or later have to move back to and live off the land.
Many have floundered or failed at “intentional community” for a variety of reasons, including the fact that interpersonal relationships can be incredibly complex and challenging. What is required, then, for success? One ubiquitous failure of organizations, institutions, and communities is that they have lost the ability to learn from their mistakes so as to actually fix them. The Resilient Communities Project instead builds the ability to learn from both our successes and failures into everything we do. If we always remember that however much we know, it is not that much in the big scheme of things, never complete, and sometimes wrong, we can leave our egos at the gate and grow together in humility.
The Opportunity
Whether or not you have capital, a Resilient Community offers a chance to cooperatively acquire permanent land and housing subject to practical agreements for the good of all. Our essential aims are to:
- nurture the healing and well-being of our members and the wider community;
- regeneratively produce much or most of our own food and other necessities;
- rejuvenate ecosystems while building soil and benefiting the climate;
- live in simple, affordable, low-impact dwellings.
Individuals, couples, and families will establish a network of multi-generational Resilient Communities, whether helping to create one or joining an established one. We will utilize a cooperative land tenure model with processes to achieve a good fit among members. Our economic structure will largely free us from the extractive economy: by greatly reducing exorbitant living costs we may invest the resulting surplus from outside income into growing a more sustainable and equitable alternative economic system. This will require a diverse membership with a broad spectrum of resources, experience, and skills:
Operations
- Permaculture, food production, and animal husbandry;
- Arboriculture and silviculture;
- Building construction and maintenance;
- Facilities and site operations.
Management
- Vision, leadership, and facilitation;
- Organization and entrepreneurship;
- Administration and finance;
- Architectural and landscape design.
Some of the principles and values guiding us are:
- We are all in this together;
- People Care, Land Care, Fair Share;
- Love of the natural world;
- Roots in land and community;
- Healthy bodies, minds, and interpersonal relationships;
- Individual or collective spiritual foundation;
- Self-motivation and resourcefulness;
- Integrity and financial responsibility;
- Creativity, collaboration, and courage.
How it works
Instead of paying rent or a mortgage, you would make affordable monthly equity-share payments along with your specified share of operating costs. Mechanisms can be created to provide for “sweat equity” or valuation of material contributions. You would receive qualified permanent control over a specific housing unit and/or portion of the land subject to housing co-op rules and land trust conditions. If you later wish to leave a Resilient Community you could sell your equity share to people who are vetted according to co-op and land trust policies. You would receive back your equity plus inflation and a fairly determined value for improvements you may have made to the land, housing, or infrastructure.
A Resilient Community Land Trust will establish a permanent commons as a basis for living sustainably on the land within a regenerative economic system. If you are part of the initial core team you could help develop a binding land-use charter that will define how the land is to be fairly allocated and stewarded for regenerative purposes. You could also help elect or even possibly serve on the board.
Resilient Community Housing Co-ops will typically be composed of clustered housing that meets rural zoning requirements while providing desired privacy. They will be crafted to help prevent, manage, or resolve interpersonal problems or conflicts through initial vetting, communication training, mediation, etc. As part of an initial core team you could help develop the housing co-op’s membership bylaws specifying policies on vetting, community rules, and termination procedures. If through fair procedures anyone’s membership is terminated for serious violations of the housing co-op bylaws or land trust charter, their equity will be returned minus any mediation, arbitration, or other properly deductible costs.
If members’ liquid savings are kept in an insured community fund we can invest our collective capital in developing the community and financing community enterprises. Furthermore, with provisions for adequate ongoing funding, long-term care for members in old age or disability could be included in the land trust charter and/or housing co-op bylaws.
If this opportunity interests you contact Brad Smith at bsmith.interplay@gmail.com or text 805-705-5844.