July 5, 2010 4:00 PM. 9 attended.

Potential retrofit cohousing fourplex: EBCOHO private tour (N. Berkeley)

This location is shown only to members

Longtime EBCOHO member Tim Silk, a realtor, just let us know that a fourplex right behind his home just came on the market, and he's eager to find (and represent, if you don't already have a buyer's agent) some cohousers to buy it, and potentially build connections with him and his neighbors, building community in place in the style of a "retrofit" cohousing neighborhood.

I got to visit the site yesterday at an open house and take some pictures, which you can find here. -- Raines

The property, for which offers will be accepted starting this week once the pest report is out, has 4 2-bedroom 1-bath units, half upstairs; two are occupied and two vacant. All units have washer/dryers and fireplaces, carports and storage. includes a large yard and backs up against a creek, on the border with Albany. It is down a long driveway, tucked behind some on-the-street units, so very quiet and private. It is off of Albina street, which runs off Hopkins between Sacramento St. and Gilman (and features Berkeley's oldest home), so it is close to Monterey Market, North Berkeley BART, many restaurants, the BART bike path.

The asking price is $775,000. It is not condo-ized, so a group wanting to purchase it together would have to work out their own arrangements. Our hope is that some EBCOHO members can figure out how to band together to purchase it, and then connect with neighbors to make it into a full-fledged cohousing neighborhood. I met some North Oakland Cohousing members at the site and at least one is reportedly seriously interested.

Tim is available this afternoon to show the vacant units; please RSVP here and arrive promptly so he can do a single trip. If you are interested but can't make it today, please RSVP "No" (if you get this before the event time) and indicate your interest in the comment, and drop Tim a line to see about seeing it some other time.

Note: the MeetUp location is Tim's house, not the property for sale.

Full disclosure: If Tim earns a commission through helping someone buy this unit, he plans to make a donation to EBCOHO. But we wouldn't be listing it here if I hadn't visited it and felt the potential as a community.

9 attended
4.00 4.001 (1 ratings)
  • PattiR
    Diverse group of people walked through. Useful information about the property was shared. Conversation expressed different levels of interest. Connections were made. Timing and lack of cohesiveness made it clear those interested would have to become active in organizing.
  • Sky
  • Orli Loewenberg
    +2 guests
  • A former member
Optional supporter dues

$100.00 /yr; $250 for groups/sponsors

This covers: Supporting members get event discounts, Cohousing Coaching, a book, introduction

Payment is accepted using:

  • Amazon Payments
  • Cash or check - “at meetings, tours, workshops and other events that we put on (but not at our partner events that we sometimes cross-post here).

Your organizer will refund you if:

  • Your organizer closes their Meetup Group
  • Your organizer removes or bans you from their Meetup Group

Cohousing Coaches

Our business is Planning for Sustainable Communities.

Prudence Crandall House

Coop house and informal ecovillage with neighbors on 66th Street

Folsom EcoHousing

Cohousing neighborhood of 38 green homes getting ready to build!

Janelle Orsi

Co-author of Sharing Solution guide & other legal resources.

Phoenix Commons

Senior Cohousing @ Park Street Bridge. Aging in Community Study Groups

Eastlake Coho now North Oakland Coho

Monthly Potlucks and Game Nights, orientations, fun!

Golden Gate Cohousing/Parker Street Fdtn

New Cooperative Community in the historic Oak/ville neighborhood

Cohousing California - Resource Network

Web portal to communities, openings, and trainings

Congrats Parker Street Coop

Your supporting membership means a lot to us in EBCOHO.

Yay! Triple Point Cohousing

6 households of adults and kids where Oaktown/Eville/Berkeley meet.

Bay Area Community Land Trust

Membership and advocacy for permanently affordable housing cooperatives.

Jerry Michalski/Sociate

A visionary connector of people and ideas for The Relationship Economy

Member, US Green Building Council

We are a professional member of USGBC; Raines is a LEED Green Associate.

People in this
Meetup are also in:

Log in

Not registered with us yet?

Sign up

Meetup members, Log in

or
By clicking the "Sign up using Facebook" or "Sign up" buttons above, you agree to Meetup's Terms of Service