Lush green hills with scattered trees under cloudy sky.

Heart Land

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Social
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1979

What we do

Heartland is a land cooperative of 10 leaseholds on 800 acres in northern California. We have been here for over 40 years. Our purpose is to create and maintain a place for us to live in harmony with each other and the land, most of which is to be left wild.
We are located in Mendocino County, CA, three miles west of Hwy 101, two hours north of San Francisco, and about 25 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Our elevation ranges mostly between 1000 to 1700 feet and we are in zone 8B – 9B. There are panoramic views of the Ukiah Valley to the east, and more hills to the west. The vegetation includes native and introduced grasses, oak and madrone trees, and some patches of fir forest and chaparral. Many animal species share this land. There are a number of seasonal creeks and we have developed several ponds and perennial springs.
We are off-grid and committed to minimizing our fossil fuel consumption, using renewable energy – mostly sun, but also wind and micro-hydro. Some of us are engaged in permaculture design.
Legally, we are Heartland, Inc., a California S-corporation with ten shares- one share per leasehold. Each of the ten shares/leaseholds is represented on the Board of Directors (BOD), which meets at least twice per year. Other community meetings and activities occur more frequently. Most of the work necessary to develop and maintain both the land and the corporation is done by us. We have paid off the land in full, developed the roads, water systems, and built the homes on the land. We prefer to make decisions by consensus, resorting to democratic voting when the former is unachievable.
Each leasehold is comprised of 10 acres for development by the shareholder/lessee and their household within the guidelines we have collectively established. Some of us have lived here for over 30 years and some do not yet live on the land. These leaseholds are scattered across the 800 acres, leaving 700 acres of land which is to be left wild, though used for hiking and horseback riding.
We currently have no shares/leaseholds for sale. Sorry, but we have no work-trade or overnight accommodations.

Our Mission

We are a homestead wildlands preserve.

  • Purpose
  • Social
  • Sustainability practices
  • Water conservation and management
  • Activities
  • Property management

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1979
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1981
  • Started living together
  • 11 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
20

How to join

Prospective shareholders must meet the community, participate in work parties and meetings, have a financial review, submit a lease plan, and be approved by the community, after at least three meetings. This process typically takes at least nine months. Financing is negotiated with the seller.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Please contact Rain Tenaqiya through email to fill out a questionnaire and arrange a visit: ra**********@***oo.com.

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.

Conflict resolution approach

Heartland has community meetings and committees to discuss and organize collective work projects. Decisions are made by a board of directors comprised of a representative from each leasehold elected annually who in turn elect officers and committee chairs who organize and carry out the business of the corporation and extended community. When consensus is too difficult, we vote, requiring a supermajority for certain issues.

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
  • There is a labor obligation
  • 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: Yes
Regular fees: $120
Labor: Yes
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Labor consists of road work, fire protection, and other agreed upon projects. Work is shared among leaseholds and we are flexible at finding ways for all to participate. Shareholders must purchase a share. Often a selling member will carry the loan. Quarterly assessments pay for taxes, road work, insurance, legal fees, etc. There is also a yearly road maintenance assessment based on use of the road based on $140/yr for one trip a day.

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

Swimming pond or pool, Tractor & Farm Equipment

Frequency of communal meals

  • Rarely

Community activities and engagement

  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies
  • Religions
  • Christian

Gender composition

  • Majority cis (over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Sustainability approach

  • Water conservation and management

Land practices in our community

  • The community is working to remove invasive plants and grow only indigenous plants

Self-produced energy

  • Over 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Over 66%

Source of water

  • Rainwater capture and storage for use (barrels, cisterns, etc.)
  • Land area size
    800 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • California, United States

Heart Land

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • 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
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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