Santa Rosa Creek Commons, Sonoma County, CA

by Sarita Hazen
Category
Communities with Openings
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
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Santa Rosa Creek Commons

An intentional community where everyone is a shareholder & board member!


Imagine living somewhere that offers community, affordability, and downtown living—all in a natural setting. Welcome to Santa Rosa Creek Commons, a 27-unit cooperative that takes its name from the largest city in Sonoma County, California, and the creek that forms its northern border.
 

Santa Rosa Creek Commons is a special place. We enjoy a unique combination of opportunities for fellowship blended with the privacy of our own homes. And as a community, we share our talents and work together to manage our two acres, five buildings, and numerous gardens. (That’s how we keep our monthly fees low–we each contribute at least eight hours of work a month.) You can put down roots here, knowing your home and community are in good hands.

Our Property
Santa Rosa Creek Commons includes three two-story apartment buildings and two converted houses that collectively host 27 units. That breaks down to three studios, 11 one-bedroom units, 11 two-bedroom units, and two three-bedroom units. On our wooded grounds, we also have a community room, workshop, laundry, tool and bike sheds surrounded by year-round gardens and a peaceful floodplain along Santa Rosa Creek.

How We Work
Each shareholder resident is a member of the Board of Directors, which meets once a month on the second Saturday for approximately two hours; these meetings are mandatory. We use consensus to make decisions, and we value the voice of every member. All members have agreed to the following values:

  • Consensus decision-making
  • Non-violent conflict resolution
  • Concern for the natural environment

Members buy a share into the entire co-op, and the price is based on the square footage of their unit. These shares range in price from approximately $10,000 for a studio up to $32,000 (effective Oct 2021) for a three-bedroom unit (returnable upon leaving). There is also a monthly charge ranging from approximately $400 to $1,400 (effective July 1, 2023). Figures subject to change.​ 

Our Committees
We are able to keep our monthly fees low by managing our own property. Each member contributes eight hours of work every month and serves on at least two committees (meetings last for one to two hours, on average):

  • Buildings & Grounds
  • Landscape & Garden
  • Membership & Marketing
  • Education
  • Finance
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Documents
  • Social

Committees also make decisions based on consensus. Naturally, disagreements and interpersonal problems arise, but through mutual deliberation and open communication, we strive to achieve an increased understanding of one another.

Our Neighborhood
Shops and restaurants in downtown Santa Rosa are just a short walk away, as are nearby services such as the main post office and library, government offices (including City Hall, state and federal buildings), and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Not to mention close-by pharmacies, gas stations, banks, movie theaters, and the Santa Rosa Mall. The city’s main police and fire stations are just up the street, with two of Santa Rosa’s largest parks only blocks away. Luther Burbank Gardens, the Prince Memorial Greenway, and Courthouse Square are also nearby.

We’re a multi-generational cooperative, and we welcome a diversity of spiritual beliefs, backgrounds, races, ethnicities, abilities, gender expression, and sexual orientation. Families with children are welcome, as are a limited number of cats, dogs, and other pets.

We currently do not have any vacancies, but we are accepting applications for our waiting list for studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Our waiting list is not chronological. Applicants are chosen by skills currently needed at SRCC.  

Learn more about our membership process and how to apply to get on our waiting list on our website: www.santarosacreekcommons.org  Or contact our Inquiry Secretary, Sarita Hazen, at (707) 526-3103 or sarita@sonic.net