Description

Legal Structures for Intentional Communities in the United States

Every forming community makes crucial decisions about whether and how it may comply with various local, state, and federal laws and regulations. They will need to decide which legal entity, or several entities, it will use to co-own land, run educational programs, and/or manage any community-owned businesses — all of which affects the group’s relation to the wider public.

This resource includes the seven steps every community needs to follow to create a legal structure, the benefits of creating a legal entity, and a brief exploration of the most common types of structures for intentional communities.

Legal Structures for IC’s in the US originates from Communities magazine in the winter 2016 issue. The article was originally excerpted from an article published in the Communities Directory, 7th edition. It was substantially revised and updated by Diana Leafe Christian in Creating a Life Together and shortened slightly for this issue of Communities.