Star Community of Seattle

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About the Community

What we do

Wow, we struggle to describe ourselves. We are currently 16 adults who share two large group houses in South Seattle.  We are a family of unrelated adults, and we are long-term – not a student or high turnover group.  But we are also a broader community of far-flung individuals who have relationships with and resonance with the ideas of this residential group. We have separate jobs, and yet we spend ridiculous amounts of time together. We do cultural research and deep personal growth work. We are striving for ways to have a more positive impact on the planet, and to live more sustainably in our urban environment. We are a sex-positive and largely polyamorous community.  We welcome queer folk, and have an increasing number among us, and yet we also study and seek a path for healing of the conflicts between (cis/het) men and women.  We believe in trust and peace, and yet that trust and peace cannot arise without creative navigation of conflict. Conflict is a necessary part of growth and evolution, and we try to work with it rather than suppress it. We believe in transparency as a central value. We practice a form of community transparency modeled on ZEGG Forum, a practice developed in the communities of ZEGG and Tamera. We also practice a form of personal and community growth work based on Possibility Management, the work of Clinton Calahan. We did not come together around one central mission or vision, and we have spent 10 years trying to define exactly what we are about.  I don’t know that we ever will…we are about a lot of things.  We are hard to categorize. We don’t look like many other communities. But I hope this gives some sort of picture.

Our Vision

We are an urban residential community that focuses on personal growth, responsibility, creativity, sustainability, and creating a life with meaning and purpose.

Our Mission

We are an urban residential community that focuses on personal growth, responsibility, creativity, sustainability, and creating a life with meaning and purpose.

  • 29 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
29

How to join

There is no formal membership process, and nothing that clearly delineates a member from a nonmember. Becoming involved and participating makes you a member.  It has been joked “If we think you are a member, and you think you are a member, then you are.”  Residential members are those who apply and are accepted to live in one of our houses, OR who band together to rent a new affiliated house.  However, being a resident doesn’t necessarily lead to membership, or vice versa.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

We aim to reach primarily people already in the Seattle area. We have public programs open to all, on a weekly basis, where new people may participate and learn about us. We can also welcome and provide housing on a limited basis to travelers with similar values who want to connect with us. Write [email protected] or [email protected].

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

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

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Economic model

  • Partial Income-Sharing

Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation

Additional economic information

Monthly fees/dues: $900
Labor: Encouraged or suggested
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
The residential members each rent a bedroom, while the room pricing sometimes making consideration of what individuals can afford. We pool and split the cost of food and utilities pretty equally, though we have capped the utilities cost for some on a tight budget. We live in a car-dependent neighborhood, and we now have a fairly formal car sharing arrangement, so we avoid owning more cars than necessary for our transportation needs. We share services like phone plans and subscriptions as efficiently as possible for maximum benefit.   We have discussed before how much members want a greater degree of socialism, but this is what most of us are comfortable with.  Some of us work very hard at soul-killing jobs, to save money for a dream, to support loved ones outside of the community, or for other reasons.  Others pursue self-employment,  or minimal employment, or employment that is fulfilling but less remunerative.  And others are retired.  Our degree of expense sharing allows this freedom of choice without creating resentments, and for now that seems more valuable than greater egalitarianism.  If we were all doing similar work at a community business, we might choose differently.  We do, however, have an ethos that “no one bleeds”.  We have collectively supported members in the past through times of financial stress, and we would do that again.

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

Common House, Garden(s), Vehicle Share, Workshop, Fire pit, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies
  • Religions
  • Buddhist
  • Jewish
  • Hindu
  • Quaker
  • Wiccan, Paganism, or Earth Religions
  • Unitarian Universalist

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a single individual, couple, or Family Trust

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Self-produced energy

  • 33 - 66%

Energy sources used

  • Hydro

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    .5 acres

Reviews

Location

  • Washington, United States

Star Community of Seattle

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
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  • Communities with Openings
12 months ago

Water Birch Co-op. Urban living in central Denver.

Large, lovely house built in 1900, two blocks from Cheeseman Park in downtown Denver.  5000 square feet. The house was a Buddhist Meditation Center for 20 years before we got it and has lovely, calm vibes. We currently have ten people and have room for one more. We are an intentional community sharing dinners, 3 living rooms, 2 new kitchens and a kitchenette, & 5 baths. Staple food (organic) is bought together. The group is self-regulating as a co-op; it decides together how the house runs. There are chores ;-) Average cost per room is about $1000 ranging from $650 to $1354. Currently available room is $875. We are just finishing renovation of three bedrooms on the third floor  they are $875 each and share our largest, newest bath (shower and separate claw foot tub) and a brand new kitchenette  they all have beautiful windows and lots of light. PLEASE CHECK OUT COMMUNITY LISTINGS FOR MORE INFO. Initial lease for 3-6 months while we and you decide if we are a good fit for each other.  Deposit in the amount of one months rent is required prior to move in.  We do background checks on all members. Utilities are currently $130 per person per month and are all-inclusive.  They will change if costs go up, that amount is insufficient to cover utilities, or more people mean the cost per person goes down.  WiFi is via mesh network from gig-speed fiberoptic service.  Heat is with radiators.  Cooling is evaporative.  We have a storage room in a nearby commercial facility.  And a new large workshop in the garage. Shared food is $125 per month per person; it is a pass-through cost divided evenly among residents; it does NOT include meat or alternative protein nor any alcohol.  We will not be surprised if that needs to go up some soon ($10 or 15). We have two dogs and three cats in the house  that seems like a sufficient quantity of furry friends for now. Our community intentions include: Communication with compassion. Shared space and life. Shared meals. Shared staple foods which are non-GMO and Organic. Group decision making. Safe, inclusive space: queer and trans friendly, anti-racist, non-violent, and feminist. The purchase of the house by the co-op in about five years. The expansion of the co-op, possibly to include other housing types (like separate apartments). Weekly meetings and house committees to manage our community. We are considering implementing Sociocracy as an organizing method. Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 8:00am. We are looking for community members who: Want to live in a community not just have a place to sleep and eat. Want to live in a beautiful, clean, and organized house and are willing to help make and keep it that way. Residents should expect to spend 16 hours per month towards this goal. Are curious, compassionate, flexible, and open to living with others who will undoubtedly have different ideas about many things. Are interested in pioneering a new co-op. There will be work involved to get there. Are responsible and communicative. Embrace enthusiastically that living in community requires introspection and personal growth. Are not joining the community as a way of running away from something.
Need
11 months ago

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