We've just learned that Mariposa Grove Cohousing founder Hank Obermayer is doing an additional open house this evening (Monday) with rentals in his community-connected home in North Oakland.

Note: We gave first notice of this unique opportunity to EBCOHO's Supporting Members. We rely on the contributions of our members to pay for our outreach, space rentals, and training to make these opportunities possible. Supporting Membership includes a cohousing book, custom cohousing coaching, discounts on events, and sometimes exclusive invites like this - all for just $100 a year (that's less than a movie and a coffee per month). If you're serious about getting into community or deepening your community connections, click here to upgrade your membership today.



The building, formerly known as Willow House (free EBCOHO/MeetUp membership & login required to view) was owned by an Associate Member of Mariposa Grove for several years... it was bought most recently by somebody for that very purpose. It has been linked physically (the properties back up against one another) and socially in many ways, with a great deal of mutual work going into the agreement, and the community hopes to maintain the connection. It is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 3000 square foot home. More below from the owner.

The Mariposa Grove cohousing neighborhood is a small, retrofit, permanently affordable limited-equity intentional community, similar in some ways to Berkeley Cohousing[/url] andTemescal Creek Cohousing, but a little bit earthier, garden-centered, using existing structures that needed a lot of hard work, smaller, arts and justice oriented.

This is a multistory private home, with many steps involved in visiting the community's Common House, so we don't recommend it for anyone with significant mobility limitations. We don't have a personal stake in it and we are not licensed real estate agents, but we are available to provide Cohousing Coaching to anyone seriously considering applying to join the community, sharing info about the community, and some of the potential and challenges of getting connected this way. Please contact us to learn more.

from my friend Hank:

Although three of the four duplex or 3-plex houses are owned as condominiums by those of us who live here, one of the houses has one owner only and has been the only place for people to be renters in the community. I bought that house not so long ago from the previous family here when they needed to move. I'm now (FINALLY, for those of you who have heard me talking about this for a good long time!) ready to rent part of it out, for move-in any time after Feb 15. There's lots of info below. If you're still interested after reading that then come to the open house I'm having on Monday, from 4-7 pm. There will be even more info at the open house. Read on for details...

The Rentals

For now, the place for rent is a shared household with 3-4 bedrooms (one is a double room). In another 3-6 months more space will be available (2 bedroom apartment - better space for a small family). I'm expecting rents to be something like $650, $700 & $950, depending on the bedroom. That includes use of almost all of the Mariposa Grove's facilities.

I'm looking for people who specifically want to live in an intentional community or cohousing community. If you're more interested in the smaller unit (better for a family) let me know and I'll keep track of that for when it's closer to ready.

I'm intending that whoever is moving into the first room will collaborate with me choosing for the next room, and all of us together will choose whoever lives in the 3rd room. Since we'll share a lot, everyone already living at Mariposa Grove will be involved in the process as well. We'll all be sharing time, facilities and decisions, so that's important.

The Community, Mariposa Grove



Mariposa Grove currently has 9 adults and 4 kids in 6 households. The house with the rentals is a 3-plex, with the largest upstairs Victorian unit available now. I own that house. We call that house "Willow House" because of the huge willow tree in the yard. The other homes here are are all owned by the people who live in them. We eat some of our meals together, share lots of indoor and outdoor space and have a broad mission related to arts, social justice and sustainability. We've been called an ecovillage before, and several of us have permaculture backgrounds. We do lots of other things together, both formal (managing finances, etc) and informal (social stuff). Our indoor shared space includes a cohousing-style common house with a couple guest rooms, art studio, shared office, living room, dining room, kitchen, workshop area, etc. Outdoors we have a firepit, stage, lots of gardens, fruit trees, chickens and bees. There's a lot going on here. Mariposa Grove is an ideal space for hosting events & gatherings.

About Potential Tenants
The people who live here will all contribute to the collective atmosphere of the community. It's important that those living here have the emotional communication skills to get along well with and work with others.

Open House

The open house will be this Monday, February 4, from 4-7 pm. The community is in North Oakland, just off MLK and an easy walk from Ashby BART. The rental is at 835 60th St., upstairs.

People who come visit will be able to check out much of the rest of the community as well, including other community members who are available. As I said, other community members will be part of the process of selecting tenants even though I'm the owner of Willow House.

Note: There will be lots more info at the open house, and of course I'll answer questions. Please try to bring your questions there. If you ask me stuff via email, I may not answer until after the open house. I don't know whether I'll do more open houses. It'll depend on who shows up at this one. I hope to see interested folks there!