Are you a future resident of a new-built cohousing community in downtown Oakland? You wouldn't even be receiving this meeting notice if you weren't interested in, and at least somewhat knowledgeable about, cohousing. So you probably also realize that it takes time, energy and money contributed by the future-resident group to get a cohousing community built. You probably also know that finding suitable sites at a reasonable cost in the bay area has been very difficult. So when a site like the one described here becomes available, we're inclined to jump at the chance to see if a future resident group (plus some outside investors) can be assembled.

It has come to our attention that a downtown Oakland development site already entitled with planning approvals for 40 market rate residential condos is for sale at a very reasonable cost. The site is on 14th Street, between MLK and Jefferson Streets, just five blocks away from Swan's Market Cohousing with which many readers of this notice will be familiar. The approved plans are available for your viewing at: http://www.632fourtee....

When looking at the floor plans, right away we started to think about how, with some relatively minor design changes, the square footage currently planned for 2 or 3 units on either Level 1 or Level 7 could be converted to a common house including 715 square feet of outdoor space on either level.

We sent Cohousing Partners (the development arm of the former Cohousing Company) this info, and Katie McCamant responded "......I'd love to work with a group that is ready to take advantage of this opportunity. . . but need someone else to initiate the community." That means "a community ready to jump in and put up some money to tie up the site."

So we decided to call a meeting to bring together those who would like to explore starting a future-resident group for this site. That meeting was held in the common house at Swan's Market Cohousing (just two blocks from 12th Str. BART) on Friday, July 10. Persons not interested in living in cohousing, but who might wish to invest in such a project were also most welcome.

FOLLOWUP The initial core group that came together decided not to pursue this particular site but is now meeting and considering other possibilities in the area.

Joani Blank
Cohousing Enthusiast at Swans Market Cohousing

Raines Cohen and Betsy Morris
Cohousing Coaches, EBCOHO