FAQ

Construction is underway and will be complete in 2027.

Sales prices and unit descriptions can be found here.

Our target is approx. $350- 400. This monthly fee, known as the condominium association fee, will include operating expenses, insurance, and capital reserves. The fee will cover site utilities as well as maintenance of the home’s exterior and the HVAC and water heater, but does not include utilities for individual homes. The fee will also cover the La Roche University Lifelong Learning program membership. Like other cohousing communities, we will have a program of shared volunteer work to keep our fees lower.

Short-term construction financing has been arranged by Rachel Carson Ecovillage with Dollar Bank. The construction loan is paid off over the construction period as each individual unit is purchased (closed on) by the individual owners.

Each owner makes a 20% deposit upon selecting a unit and signing the corresponding sales agreement. This deposit is applied to the cost of the unit at closing.  Any additional financing (e.g., mortgage) needed to purchase the unit and any improvements will be the responsibility of the individual homeowner. Each owner can choose their own financial institution for any needed financing.

Yes! All or part of several units will be available for rental (rates to be determined by owner not RCE). Some founders are already committed to co-purchase and several Explorer members are interested in co-purchase with one or more compatible buyers. All non-owner residents will have all the same community rights and responsibilities as owners, except in matters relating to expenditure of money.

No. Experience has shown that self-selection is the best way to form a community. The community attracts people who are looking to be active community members. We conduct a meeting with each prospective founding member household to be certain that they are fully prepared for whatever risks they are assuming and for active participation in community decision-making.

Please refer to the “Become a Member” section of the website, which explains the three-step “path” to membership: Inquirer→Explorer→ Founder. Becoming an Inquirer is free and involves attending an on-line Introductory Session. If you are interested in going deeper, you will pay a fee to become an Explorer Member. Explorer Member fees are non-refundable because they are used to cover the costs of developing the project. However, they are counted toward the eventual purchase of a unit.

Without a developer, risk is shared by the founding members. The risks in developing cohousing are mostly related to acquiring property, the governmental/regulatory approvals to build on the property, and attracting enough prospective owners financially committed to the Ecovillage to obtain bank financing. These hurdles are essentially behind us. The main outstanding risk is selling the remaining units.  More than  75% of units are already financially committed to by their prospective owners (signed sales agreements and at least 20% downpayment) and we have an active group of Explorer members considering purchase. Each unit sold reduces the risk further.

After you have completed the preliminary steps for becoming a Founder member, you will be eligible to sign a unit reservation and make the required deposit. This will entitle you to choose your unit from those still available.

Our multi-disciplinary team includes architects, landscape architects (evolveEA), civil engineers (Civil and Environmental Consultants), ecological designers (Fourth River Workers Guild), building performance consultants (AUROS Group), costing and construction (Jendoco, PCC, and Hardt), and offsite fabricators (Blueprint Robotics). Construction financing is being provided by Dollar Bank. Overseeing the project is Stefani Danes, FAIA, project manager and RCE founding member.

Common meals are an important part of the glue that holds cohousing communities together. Rotating volunteer teams of residents will prepare three meals per week in the common house. A weekly potluck meal is also anticipated. Meals are prepared and cleaned up by a team of 2-4 persons for however many diners sign up for the meal in advance. Eating common meals is always voluntary. Each resident is involved in one meal preparation and/or clean-up every month. You only pay for meals you eat.

Since its inception in 2020, Rachel Carson EcoVillage has governed itself using sociocracy.

Sociocracy is a governance model that has become popular among cohousing communities because it allows them to make decisions in a way that respects everyone’s voice and time.  Overall, cohousing residents report they enjoy working together using sociocracy and tend to find it most helpful. 
To ensure ongoing competence in using sociocracy, RCE strongly recommends all of our new Explorer Members take our Sociocracy 101 class (a four-session small-group online course) . Taking the Sociocracy course allows Explorer Members to participate in planning groups making decisions for the community.  For more, see sociocracyforall.org.

Our community decides on its goals, principles, and policies using sociocracy (see previous question).  Community decisions are made by planning groups, each of which has been delegated its own aims and domains.  The four primary groups are Membership and Outreach, Legal and Financial, Administration, and Community Life and Governance, which are guiding our development and preparing our policies.  Explorer members who have completed Sociocracy 101 are entitled (and encouraged) to become participants in a planning group.

One of the basic principles of cohousing is collaboration, so aside from the practical benefits of voluntary work by residents, it is generally valued for its community-building benefits. At Rachel Carson EcoVillage, a self-managed community, there will always be an abundance of opportunities to pitch in and get involved, with a wide variety of work to fit the talents, interests, and limitations of individuals. Like most communities, we anticipate asking residents to choose what they would like to do (affinity-based work), which tends to work surprisingly well.  Typically, the community asks all residents to take part in community decisions, to take a turn at common house meal preparation, and to participate in seasonal workdays.  Total volunteer time may average 4-8 hours per month.  Those who participate in this way often report that working closely together with others is an especially satisfying way of connecting and feeling a strong sense of community.

Yes!  Monetary contributions can be made via our Donate Page. Your gift will go to help us make our units more affordable for families with lower incomes.