The 611 Ecovillage is planning an open house/tour for prospective housemates interested in not just renting but building a deeper connection to the community.

EBCOHO member/green builder Dan Antonioli has a several rooms in this community opening as soon as October 1st for as little as $500 a month (and available September 1st for $700) and would like to offer them to folks who would eventually invest/co-own in the community. This is an opportunity for moving into an ecovillage as a renter and eventually achieving ownership.

Open house/tour starts at 11:00 sharp, so please arrive a few minutes early. Look for the wooden gate and Tibetan prayer flags and various signs that you're at an ecovillage, on the short stub end of 32d street off of MLK.

Meet the founder of this lovely little cohousing-ish community and other community seekers from the area. Get a tour of the buildings, and discuss how you could become a co-owner of this longtime urban green innovative community.

Please RSVP here using the link on this page. EBCOHO sustaining member/green builder Dan Antonioli will greet you.

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Here's a bit about 611 EcoVillage from its page on the EBCOHO site

The Location

32nd and Martin Luther King Blvd. We’re a ten-minute walk from MacArthur BART, walking distance from downtown Oakland, and a short bicycle distance from Lake Merritt, the Manzanita Cafe, Mama Buzz, and downtown Berkeley. We’re also next to the 980 freeway.

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The Home

Our dwelling consists of two separate houses connected by a courtyard.The main house was built in 1908 and the back house was built in the 1920’s in the California bungalow style. There are lots of historical craftsman detailing, including hardwood floors, cove ceilings, a claw foot bathtub, built-in cabinets, linen closets, etc. We have a state-of-the-art efficient water heater, washing machine, storage, a beautiful roof deck, compost, bins, garden space, and a solar-heated hot tub.

Between six people there’s a lot of privacy within our beautiful, eco-artsy home.

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What’s an EcoVillage?

An ecovillage is the intersection of community and sustainability. In an ecovillage, people live together intentionally and not because they just need a place to live. In a society marked by separateness, isolation, and individuality, an intentional community can restore some of the qualities inherent in most human societies.

Sustainability can’t happen by itself. People need to actively participate in sustainable practices. Reducing waste, using environmentally friendly materials and products, installing renewable energy systems, composting, gardening, hang-drying clothes, and finding creative ways to have a softer impact on the planet are some of ways that an ecovillage can promote sustainability. In both Oakland (and Laytonville) we can bicycle and walk—thus lowering our carbon footprint.

Ecovillages take many shapes and forms, but the core values of community and sustainability are the same. Most people think of an ecovillage as an off-grid, food self-reliant community of idyllic cabins in a rural or remote place, but the principles of peaceful, simple living and energy self-sufficiency are possible to achieve in any landscape. The urban environment is the perfect one for a sustainable household for many reasons. You don’t have to live twenty miles down a remote dirt road to live in harmony with people and natural systems.

Art, music, yoga, French bistro-theme dinners, and a highly developed sense of humor all have a place at 611.

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Dan Antonioli purchased this two-home property in 2000 with the intention of creating a community household that values sustainability and emphasizes a green lifestyle. The 611 Ecovillage is proud to be spearheading the growing ecovillage movement. An ecovillage offers a green and affordable alternative to conventional housing. Please consider joining our community and contributing to the shift towards a sustainable future.

Today the 611 Ecovillage finds itself evolving into a potential future shared-ownership household. The idea is to share ownership with 1-3 others and to keep rentals available for people who can’t afford to invest financially. Whether you’re interested in buying into the 611 Ecovillage, or would simply like to rent a room with us, you’re welcome to apply. Ownership opportunities begin with a six-month rental to explore your relationship with the house and to give plenty of time to discuss the various shared-ownership options.

Given the current turnover of housemates at the 611 Ecovillage, your entry into the household will be on an individual lease. Once all the rooms are filled we’ll discuss the options of remaining on individual leases or going onto a shared lease.

Rents are $500 a month for the rooms in the main house, and $700 a month for the upstairs room in the carriage house. The carriage house room is perfect for someone wanting to live in community but needing more privacy. A rooftop garden apartment is currently available. The deposit is $750 per person. Note: The stairs and narrow entryways in this old home may pose challenges to someone with mobility limitations.

The basic social agreements to live at 611 are: monthly meetings, weekly chores, a $50/month basic food budget (beyond your private food), consensus decision making, making one meal a month for the house, and a commitment to having fun.

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Upcoming East Bay Cohousing events include:

• Field trip to see a Tumbleweed Tiny Home (Sebastopol, Sat 8/14)
  
• 611 EcoVillage: rent-to-own open house (Oakland, Sun 8/15) NEW!
  
• NVC & Permaculture Leader Kit Miller on Transition Movement Heart & Soul call 8/18
  
• Free Ecovillages Slide Show with Diana Leafe Christian in Emeryville 8/19 Thursday evening
  
• Growing a Successful Ecovillage or Intentional Community, a 3-day workshop with Diana
  
• Cohousing Bus Tour 8/21 (discounted for EBCOHO Members & Supporting Members)
  
• Cohousing & Sustainable Communities reception and virtual tour via slideshow/video (Berkeley, 8/21 Sat eve) NEW!
  
• Senior Cohousing Study Group with Alameda Elder Village formation team: 10-week series (8/25)
  
• Two-year Facilitation Intensive Series starting in September

Current opportunities to become part of sustainable communities in the area include:

• Affordable "Instant Cohousing" homes in a 7-unit Victorian mansion in North Oakland's Golden Gate district, near Emeryville
  
• A one-year rental of a 3-bedroom home at Pleasant Hill Cohousing
  
• Several apartments in 611 Ecovillage, an Oakland shared house with rent-to-own options
  
• A room for rent at the Church of Soul community near West Oakland BART
  
• An end-of-the-year 1.5-month sublet and a near-term roommate opportunity at Temescal Creek cohousing
  
• Openings in Nevada City, Fresno, Cotati (Sonoma County), San Luis Obispo area communities (Cohousing California)
  
• New communities in Mountain View, Grass Valley, and Auburn with sites

Get details about all of the above and more the East Bay Cohousing website -- membership is free!
http://www.ebcoho.org...