Opportunity to buy a unit in an established restricted equity Housing Cooperative in central Berkeley.

AVAILABLE: 920 sq ft, one bedroom, one bath flat with hardwood floors. It is a 2nd floor walk-up in a 6 unit, two building coop. We are a sweat-equity coop, as well as restricted equity; owner-residents are responsible for all interior maintenance and repair. This unit needs repairs and upgrades to recover its beauty. But, truly affordable monthly assessments cover your proprietary lease, utilities and garbage and the loan we plan to acquire to address deferred maintenance and upgrades (e.g. exterior painting, electrical upgrades, windows.) Owner-residents pay for their own cable, Internet, phone service.

The coop was formalized in 1977 and much has happened over the ensuing years. The main building (where the available unit is located) is a 100 year old redwood Victorian. The coop members enjoy a shared yard with an apple tree, plum tree , vegetable garden and flowers, plus shared laundry room. We are walking distance to downtown Berkeley, bus stop one block away. The couple previously occupying the unit lived here for 17 years.

The ideal applicants would be a couple (any gender, race, orientation) with solid DIY building skills who enjoy making their space a beautiful, comfy, personalized home. It is critical to have an interest in community and living with the shared responsibilities of running a coop. We have monthly outdoor workdays and once monthly meetings. We make decisions by consensus. Although we usually have a holiday potluck together and occasional barbecues, we maintain separate households with no communal meals. The ideal applicants for co-ownership would be enthusiastic about helping revive our 45 year old coop and preserve affordable housing in Berkeley.

Share buy-in is required (we are formally incorporated.) Payment plan for share, credit for repair and upgrade materials, negotiable.

Email: 1977Cooperative@gmail.com for Open House details.