Scenic aerial view of lush green landscape near a large lake.

Marenal

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Home-sharing
  • Town/Small City

Founding year

  • 2022

What we do

We are a sustainable, intentional, gated agricultural community based on libertarian, voluntaryist principles. The number of our members/partners is limited. Each partner owns a registered lot of at least 5,000 sqm and a proportionate share of our community and commercial properties. Our governance form is Sociocratic. We are self-managed by our Marenal Partner Association and its General Council. The concept of our community was created by Franz Xaver Meier, our founder. His background is detailed in the introduction of our website, marenal.com
Our mission is to advance our principles by setting a positive example for future generations and by preserving and promoting our ecological and intellectual assets. We are guided by our respect for the native ecosystem and its rich biodiversity, and we strive to….
move towards self-sufficiency by growing our own food, supplying the community with chemical-free water from our own well, using renewable energy, and other ecologically sound resources, whenever possible.
protect and restore our environment by minimizing our footprint, and by promptly remedying any unavoidable impact.
provide educational opportunities for our residents and the broader community.
inspire mentorship and collaboration with the local community by sharing the knowledge, experience, and talents of our partners.
promote our intellectual and physical well-being through literature, education, history, science, the arts, a healthy lifestyle, and spirituality.
become a well-functioning Sociocratic Community.

Our Mission

“Peace, Freedom, and Pura Vida” expresses our belief in self-ownership, personal responsibility, property rights, the non-aggression principle, the right of self-defense, peaceful dispute resolution, freedom of association, the advocacy of the principles of Voluntaryism, the importance of education, and the right to a happy life.

  • Purpose
  • Home-sharing
  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Sustainability practices
  • Renewable energy systems
  • Activities
  • Property management
  • Experiences

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2022
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2025
  • Started living together
  • 66 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
116

How to join

After submitting the Compatibility Assessment and receiving Community approval, the potential member/partner will be invited to visit and select a property. If he decides to purchase, he must accept our guidelines, rules, and regulations, and agree to repurchase rights before we proceed to the contract and to closing.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Fill out our Compatibility Assessment and make a reservation.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Single Leader or Founding Couple

One person or partnership has ultimate authority.

Decision-making process

  • Consent-Based (Sociocracy)

Decisions proceed unless someone has a reasoned objection.

Governance structure

  • Sociocratic/Circle-Based

Organized in circles or domains with distributed authority.

Conflict resolution approach

Until the Marenal Partner Association is formed, the Founder and Developer is enforcing the guidelines.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • 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

Regular fees: $100
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed

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

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Library, Swimming pond or pool, Outdoor Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Swingsets & play areas, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • Rarely

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Growing our own
  • Locally sourced

Community activities and engagement

  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • 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

  • Family-focused (many children and parents)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a single individual, couple, or Family Trust

Setting

  • Town/Small City

Smaller municipalities with local services but rural character.

Community type

  • Cohousing

    Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
    interaction while maintaining independence.

Sustainability approach

  • Renewable energy systems

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

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

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Over 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Greenhouse / aquaponics
  • Land area size
    22.4 hectares

Guest Book

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

Location

  • Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Promoted Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Housing For Rent + Shared
4 weeks ago

Cohousing Home for Rent in Snohomish WA

Beautifully maintained and spacious home in the woods! The first floor features an open-concept kitchen with granite countertops and island off the great room, which includes a river rock wood fireplace in the living room. Large windows and skylights let the light shine in year round. Walk out the French doors onto a covered patio and pavered area for outdoor living. A bonus room is included on this floor in addition to the single-car garage. A large laundry room with lots of storage and a 3/4 bathroom complete the first floor. Solid oak flooring is throughout the home. The second floor includes 3 nicely sized bedrooms and a bathroom with a large soaker tub, dual sinks, and newly remodeled shower enclosure. Walk out the second floor to a large grassy area that is part of the shared community space. The top floor is a spacious room with skylights and a full bathroom. Total rooms is 3-4 bedrooms + office and 2-3/4 bathrooms. This home is part of the Sharingwood Cohousing community. The neighborhood incudes 23 acres of greenbelt where a stream flows during fall and winter. The common areas include a common house, play structures, a greenhouse, and community garden. Get to know your neighbors in this community of 29 single-family homes. Residents join teams and volunteer a few hours a month as participants in the community. Applications are subject to qualification requirements. Additional terms and conditions apply. Reach out to request a viewing! Owner pays HOA fees. Renter pays all utilities including water, garbage, electric, gas, and internet/cable. Renter maintains plants and gardens around home. Renters are expected to sign a cohousing agreement that outlines community expectations (available in advance upon request). Rent is $4500 per month, deposit $4500. Pets negotiable for additional damage deposit fee.
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
2 months ago

Do you feel called to help co-create a small, newly forming eco-spiritual community?

Old structures are crumbling. New ways of living are calling. We are answering that call. Wild Grace is an eco-spiritual community located in the Sierra foothills 30 minutes from Grass Valley, California. We recently completed new homes for those who feel called to our vision. Currently there are four of us living on this sacred 80 acres of land although we are a hub for an expanded neighborhood community. Many join us weekly for potlucks, expressive dance, Qi Gong, monthly musical gatherings, and seasonal celebrations in our temple, as well as tending to our orchard. We are excited to welcome others to join us on the land who are dedicating their lives to spiritual growth and ready to live in a more focused and intimate heart-centered lifestyle. Might that be you or someone you know? The fundamentals are simple. Spirit. We listen personally and collectively together most mornings, usually starting with a musical offering, a prayer, or a short reading, followed by about 40 minutes of what we call “sacred silence.” Heart Circles. About once a week we gather to share and listen. We are informed by authentic and compassionate communication practices. Nature. The land itself—an 80-acre oasis of field and forest perched above the wild and scenic South Yuba River—calls for our stewardship in the gardens, orchard, greenhouses, and general care. In turn, nature feeds us abundantly, both literally and spiritually. Interbeing. We join with others to share inspiration and connection as we host monthly gatherings of song, story and prayer that draws from the larger community in addition to other events we share with our closer neighbors. As we attend to these fundamentals, Grace flows to and through us—often in “Wild” or unexpected ways. Grace catalyzes through us, but is not something we possess. Because we all are connected, we feel that Grace actively transforms n

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