Cerro Gordo community sign with nature background and colorful artwork.

Cerro Gordo Community

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Social
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1970

What we do

We are a small community founded on ecological values, including organic land care & gardening. We are surrounded by two conservation easements. One is 400+ acres of forested land that is in the Healthy Forests Reserve Program, practicing sustainable forestry. The other is 500+ acres that is largely oaks & meadows. Our houses are clustered into two neighborhoods, surrounded by these forests and meadows, with many seasonal streams. We operate as a Cooperative, sharing maintenance of the water systems, trails, & roads.
Please note: in accordance with agreements made in order to get our residential zoning approved, dogs cannot live here (with the exception of verified service dogs).
Note: Our contact email and phone number go to two different people here.

Our Mission

We seek to live together in harmony with the land and one another. As stewards of this land, and members of our Cerro Gordo Cooperative, we share responsibility for fostering a community which is both life-enhancing and creates healthy, nurturing relationships with our natural surroundings.

  • Purpose
  • Social
  • Sustainability practices
  • Permaculture design
  • Activities
  • Property management

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1970
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1974
  • Started living together
  • 13 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Not open to visitors
Total
26

How to join

Homeowners join immediately. Renters can join after one month living here, and must join after one year living here. One-time join fee for each adult, plus annual ongoing fees for all adult members and residents.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

If you’re interested in renting a house/duplex for at least a year, or interested in buying or building a house here, please contact us.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Decision-making process

  • Majority Vote

More than 50% agreement needed.

Governance structure

  • Representative/Democratic

Members elect leaders who make decisions within defined roles.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Join fee: $500
Regular fees: $33
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Garden(s)

Frequency of communal meals

  • Rarely

Community activities and engagement

  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Multi-generational (all ages well represented)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a single individual, couple, or Family Trust

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Sustainability approach

  • Permaculture design

Land practices in our community

  • The community practices permaculture

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar
  • Biomass (from wood or other organic materials)

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Up to 33%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Land area size
    1165 acres

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Oregon, United States

Cerro Gordo Community

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
  • Promoted
Need
  • Events
3 days ago

Womens Tiny Mud House Workshop

I’m Na, a regenerative designer, earthen builder and educator with the Global Ecovillage Network. I’m passionate about helping people step into action, however big or small. A women’s build I joined back in 2015 was a much needed transformational experience that set me on this path. Offering this workshop is a way of coming full circle and passing that same spark on. Sat 16 to Fri 22 January 2027 This is a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn earthen building techniques and build a tiny house from the earth up, with your own hands. Why tiny? A tiny house requires careful, creative design and asks – what space do we actually need to live? It uses far less material and takes less time to build, so it’s practical and economical. This also allows us to experience all stages of a house build, from design and brick-making to building and finishing. You’ll get your hands into every part of the build. We’ll work with mud brick (adobe), cob and bamboo, then earth plasters and finishes. This workshop is open to women of all ages and abilities are welcome. Come if you’re new and curious, if you want more practice on specific parts of a build, or simply to play in the mud with wonderful people. It’s genuinely good fun. We’ll be in my little forest, a small house on the edge of a village and national park, 20 km south of Chiang Mai, Thailand. You can stay on site in simple earthen dorms or tents, and we’ll share home-cooked Thai food in the cool, bright days of Thai winter. Read more and register here 
January 16, 2027 00:00 – January 22, 2027 23:59
Need
  • Communities with Openings
2 weeks ago

Seeking Partner/Co-Founder for a Cooperative Community in Western NC

Co-Founder / Project Partner Needed: Coweeta Heritage Center The Coweeta Heritage Center / Talking Rock Farm in Otto, North Carolina, is seeking a dedicated co-founder and long-term project partner to help manage, expand, and transition our community land project. As the primary founder is balancing physical limitations (including a bad back) and a demanding workload, we are looking for a capable partner to share the operational reins and help shape the next phase of this intentional community. What We Are Looking For Organizational & Administrative Skills: Ability to streamline systems, manage outreach, and organize community data. Social Media & Digital Presence: Skills to revitalize our online reach, update public directory listings (such as ic.org), and manage applicant communications. Practical & Technical Capabilities: Hands-on familiarity with or strong interest in sustainable forestry, organic agriculture, and alternative energy infrastructure. Strong Communication: A commitment to Non-Violent Communication (NVC), transparency, and collaborative governance. What We Offer On-Site Housing: Dedicated housing is provided on-site in Otto to facilitate close coordination, daily collaboration, and deep integration into the land. Established Foundation: Step into an active project with existing infrastructure, clear community onboarding frameworks, an established legal LLC structure, and an estate succession blueprint. Strategic Input: Full partnership in vetting future interns, managing the phased onboarding pipeline, and executing land-clearing and sustainable infrastructure projects.
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
2 weeks ago

Lot of Goodness

Are you seeking to live in a sustainable, wellness-oriented community that prioritizes nature and environmental conservation? Lot 6 in the Living Well Ecovillage offers the perfect opportunity to be part of a vibrant, self-sufficient community committed to holistic health and ecological harmony. This lot, approximately 1/3 acre in size, is equipped with city utilities and fiber internet access. It is located in a unique mixed-use community with a variety of land uses planned for the future, including small business/commercial spaces, tiny houses, cluster housing, and a 10-acre farm. Your home could face the street or look North to the Living Well Park &  Pavilion where we enjoy many activities together as a Community.  Lot 6 would be ideal for someone who wanted to be close to the action.  Maybe you’d like a large, shared home. Or a business location. The Ecovillage is home to a diverse range of homes, such as timber frame, Deltec, hempcrete, and Net-Zero energy designs—all built with green building principles in mind. This community prioritizes sustainability and wellness in every aspect of life. About the Living Well EcovillageSpanning 126 acres, the Living Well Ecovillage is bordered by the Deep River and Sandy Creek, offering stunning natural beauty and a tranquil environment. The Ecovillage includes shared spaces like a community garden, a Greenway/Rail Trail, and a neighborhood park. Over 53 acres of natural land buffer the river and creek, preserving the area’s pristine beauty and offering residents a true connection to nature. Your Dream Home AwaitsLot 6 is the ideal spot to build your sustainable home, surrounded by trees, rock outcroppings, and abundant wild edible plants. Experience breathtaking views and a peaceful setting, perfect for those seeking a slower, more connected way of life. A Community That Supports WellnessThe Living Well Ecovillage is not just about space—it’s about community. With access to the Folk School, residents engage in hands-on learning, sustainable practices, and personal growth, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Perfectly LocatedJust two miles from Highway 64 in Franklinville, North Carolina, the Ecovillage is easily accessible to Greensboro, Asheboro, and Siler City, and a short drive from Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte. It’s centrally located between the mountains and the ocean, with easy access to cultural and recreational amenities. Join Us in Building a Better FutureLot 6 offers more than just land—it’s an opportunity to be part of a community with a shared vision for a sustainable, resilient future. Ready to start the next chapter of your life in the Living Well Ecovillage? Visit Living Well Ecovillage for more information and to explore your future home. For an aerial and street level view, visit Google Maps.

Update to a Public Profile

  • Log in
  • Go to your profile page
  • Toggle on the "Add my profile to the directory"
  • Save your profile

Information

Communities

A residential project: people live here as their primary home.

Organizations

An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).

Plus Community Membership

  • Find people with Profile Match
  • Access to your community listing statistics
  • Create Discussion Groups
  • Access to our affiliate program
  • Member badge on your community profile
I am an official member of this community
Disclaimer
I affirm that my information is accurate and I am authorized to manage this listing
Foundation for Intentional Community FIC Member badge logo.

Free Plan

Free Membership
Free

Intentional Advertising

  • Subtotal

    {{ currencyFormat( pricing_summary.total_amount ) }}

Icon representing community connections and collaboration for intentional communities.

Plus Membership

  • Find communities with Profile Match
  • View detailed reviews about communities
  • Create free listings in Needs & Offers
  • Plus Member resources in CommUniversity
  • View communities detailed reviews
  • Plus Member badge on your profile