Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Regenerative co-housing opportunity in Silverton, Oregon

[Jeanne Juneau (jjuneau98]

Have you already contacted the community land trusts in the area?

https://www.columbialandtrust.org/

https://bigriverclt.org/

If not, you may find allies, ideas and other support.

Best wishes with your project!

On Tue, May 27, 2025, 9:27 AM elycehues via Cohousing-L <
cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

> Hello, my friend Teresa Foster shared this Listserve with me. Here is a
> write-up about a potential project, if you are willing to share:
>
> --
>
> The 7-acre property at 0 Chikamin Loop in Silverton, Oregon is going to
> auction on June 5. Many of our elder Silvertonians hold cherished memories
> of playing in this forest as children. Decades ago, it was partially cut
> for timber, but many trees were left standing. It has remained a popular
> pedestrian path and viewpoint ever since. A vision for this property has
> arisen, which would maintain and enhance the beauty of this site while
> expanding on the meaningful connection to nature this property provides our
> community.
>
> Steep slopes and access issues make this property difficult and expensive
> to develop in the conventional way. As such, it is unclear whether it will
> sell at the June 5 auction. Sustainable Silverton board member, Elyce Hues,
> lives at the lower end of this hillside property and has enjoyed meeting
> community members walking along the trail. She would like to raise
> awareness of the current status of the property, encourage the community to
> get out and enjoy it while we can, and most notably, gauge interest in a
> grand vision: co-investment in this property for a different kind of
> development, one that honors the value of this property to the community
> and ecology while providing right-sized housing. She has been speaking with
> community members and organizations and has learned that her vision for
> this property fits like a missing puzzle piece within an overall community
> vision for a more resilient, interconnected, and prepared Silverton. It
> could be a rare opportunity, during these turbulent times, and at any level
> ($1,000 and up), to make one of the safest of all investments - real estate
> - while aligning with your heart and values. It could be an investment in
> habitat preservation, the character of our town, regenerative agriculture,
> and a resilient and interconnected Silverton.
>
> If the property does not sell on June 5, the community will have the
> chance to come together around this shared vision. With this investment,
> you can:
>
> Protect Nature
>
> -
>
> Preserve the oak and fir groves that provide habitat to birds, bats, and
> other wildlife
>
> -
>
> Support the future development of a demonstration regenerative food forest
> that protects the health of pollinators and other wildlife, while providing
> food for people
>
> Help Out a Neighbor
>
> -
>
> Protect the downhill neighbors' homes from rainy-season flooding by
> reducing hillside runoff
>
> -
>
> Preserve community access to open green space and the most beautiful view
> this side of Silver Creek
>
> -
>
> Encourage the development of a pedestrian and bicyclists trail network in
> Silverton
>
> Build Local Resilience
>
> -
>
> Support a broader network of people organizing locally (from Sustainable
> Silverton to the Silverton Food Co-op to GeerCrest to Elderberry Wisdom
> Farms and more) to create food independence, resilience, and security
>
> -
>
> Provide a demonstration garden where the community can learn hands-on
> about native and adapted plants that can feed us
>
> Respond Thoughtfully to the Need for Housing
>
> -
>
> Support the future, site-appropriate development of a tiny home village,
> with “treehouses” on stilts, located to maximize views, with every
> opportunity leveraged to keep the home buying cost affordable.
>
> -
>
> Support cooperative co-housing at a manageable scale: residents of the
> village will only spend as much time stewarding the land as can comfortably
> fit around a day job
>
> WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
>
> 1- Get out and visit this property while you still can. Sunrise at dawn is
> a special time, with full 180+ views of the horizon. If you love bats
> and/or sunsets, visit at dusk.
>
> 2- Next time you are downtown on S Water Street, gaze to the East and
> notice the special character this beautiful hillside provides to the whole
> of town.
>
> 3- Visit the website ([https://silvertonpermaculture.my.canva.site](
> https://silvertonpermaculture.my.canva.site/)) and respond to the contact
> form to indicate your interest in investing in the property.
>
> If the property remains on the market on June 6 and there has been a
> strong show of support for this project, the plan is to form an LLC to
> accept investments and purchase the land. If this vision aligns with your
> own desire for Silverton’s future, be sure to complete the contact form
> with the amount you might invest.
>
>
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/16hnQE0w1XOceMAW9sgLHqVRKQFayQaTEMFrb-pDBK9k/edit?usp=sharing
>
> Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) secure email.
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://L.cohousing.org/info
>
>
>
>