Let’s Talk About the Resources We’ll Need to Get It Built

There are a variety of types of ecovillages and cohousing communities.

Some are rural, usually including a farming component: http://ecovillageithaca.org/

Some are specifically created to be within walking distance of a town center — in order to minimize automobile usage: http://wildsagecohousing.org

There are ecovillage-type intentional neighborhoods within cities: http://laecovillage.org/ and Ecovillagers Cooperative:

Those who’ve joined the Ecovillage New Jersey Meetup have different lifestyle preferences. So it would be great, in the long run, if all the different options could be made available. That’s why our ultimate vision is to have a network of communities within New Jersey and the tri-state region — some rural, some town-based, some urban-based. And then (imagine) there could be gatherings where members of all the communities get together to socialize, share notes, celebrate events, etc.  Hopefully some of the events will be celebrations of groundbreaking for another ecovillage!

Note that our vision is not, in any way, insular. We always have general social change — “the greening of society” — in mind. By modeling best practices, by growing the eco-community movement, we hope to influence the broader society to transition toward social and ecological sustainability; and toward values that are very much needed in these troubled times — like peace, health, and life-satisfaction.

Obviously the first order of business is to get one built! A first one in the tri-state region will set a precedent, provide inspiration, and open doors for the creation of the network that we anticipate.

What we face is the challenge of bringing together all of the resources that such a project entails:

• a parcel of land or a building in a city
• project organizers
• investors and contributors
• professional help (architects, engineers, attorneys, etc.)
• volunteers (commitments of time)
• prospective residents

We feel that another key resource will be guidance by a developer who understands and appreciates our special issues and goals — preferably a person or team that has experience with land acquisition, construction, and contractor oversight in the New Jersey real estate market. After all, the building of a community is, in one aspect, a real estate project — and we amateurs need all the help we can get! At our gathering this Sunday we’ll talk about pending plans to interview one such developer. The Meetup will provide a chance to have an open discussion about how we should present our aspirations to him and what kinds of questions we should pose during the interview.

Jane Bleeg
Photo by Mark Chamberlin

Also on the agenda will be a presentation by Jane Bleeg of the Flower City Cohousing Community being planned for Rochester, NY. Jane will join us via internet to relate how their group is handling many of the same issues EVNJ is facing.

As usual we’ll start at Noon with a pot-luck luncheon (please bring a dish to share). The discussions and presentations will begin at 1:00.

Location: 46 Greenwich Drive, Bergenfield, NJ 07621

RSVP here.

2018 is shaping up to be a memorable year for our movement. The New York Times had a major article about cohousing on January 21. The Wall Street Journal will soon be featuring Village Hearth (in Durham, NC) in an article about green building. And New Jersey Monthly is planning to run an article about our own project in the spring.

Construction has started at Fair Oaks Cohousing in Sacramento, CA. Residents have started moving in to Quimper Village in Port Townsend, WA. It’s clear that people are actively looking for hopeful alternatives. New Jerseyans, too, deserve the opportunity to choose a thriving lifestyle in an eco-community.

Join us this Sunday, Feb. 11, to hear how you can help make it happen!