Scenic view of a lush green yard with palm trees and cozy houses in Vista, CA.

EVO ~ The Emerald Village in Vista, CA

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Ecological
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 2011

What we do

The Emerald Village is an intentional community founded in 2011 by 10 members, and located on a 9-acre property in Vista, California.
We are a spiritually diverse community of entrepreneurs, artists, teachers, movers and shakers.
Community Culture Statement and Application Process
The Emerald Village is a multi-generational community whose focus is a practice of living from higher guidance to be of greatest service to ourselves, our families, our greater community and the planet.
We practice the following as part of our personal and spiritual cultivation:
Non-violent/ compassionate communication and radical responsibility
Mindful meditation
Qi gong, yoga, dance and flow arts
Monthly men’s and women’s groups
Sharing community meals
Regular group process meetings
Land and Animal Carehttps://www.emeraldvillageoasis.org/visit-request-form

Our Mission

To share a thriving home connected with our land and seasons where we support each other physically, emotionally and spiritually. Through play, learning, and growth we create a nourishing and inspiring community.

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Ecovillage
  • Sustainability practices
  • Permaculture design
  • Activities
  • Property management
  • Experiences

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2011
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2011
  • Started living together
  • 6 Total members
  • Not open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
25

How to join

We don’t currently have a path to membership for new residents.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Visit us at www.emeraldvillageoasis.org/visit-request-form and request to join the next open community brunch (typically 2nd Sunday of the month).

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

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

Decision-making process

  • Consent-Based (Sociocracy)

Decisions proceed unless someone has a reasoned objection.

Governance structure

  • Sociocratic/Circle-Based

Organized in circles or domains with distributed authority.

Conflict resolution approach

We are currently using Sociocracy as our model of governance.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

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
  • 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

Regular fees: Yes
Labor: Yes (10 hrs/week)
Everyone contributes a minimum of 10 hours per week toward the operations of the community. Each member is expected to join one primary circle in garden, animal husbandry, maintenance, marketing, events and general management as well as other project based contributions and cooking once per month.

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

Garden(s), Swimming pond or pool, Hot tub or hot springs, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced
  • Livestock / Animal Husbandry

Dietary restriction

  • People can cook and eat what they want in their own residence

Community activities and engagement

  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association
  • Festivals, Conferences, Events

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Religions
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Jewish
  • Native
  • Wiccan, Paganism, or Earth Religions

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Family-focused (many children and parents)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By several individuals through an LLC or a Tenancy In Common agreement

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Community type

  • Cohousing

    Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
    interaction while maintaining independence.

  • Ecovillage

    Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.

Sustainability approach

  • Permaculture design

Land practices in our community

  • The community practices permaculture

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • 33 - 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Land area size
    9 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • California, United States

EVO ~ The Emerald Village in Vista, CA

Promoted Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Marketplace
6 years ago

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves Books for Sale

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves, Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant introduce Cohousing with stories and pictures of both Danish and American communities. Beautiful photographs and line drawings illustrate the warmly written account of how these communities came to be. Specific information on legal and financial aspects of working with developers, group process, and design issues make this book informative as well as inspiring. This is the book which brought Cohousing to North America. This book is the much prized second edition which has become a rarer and somewhat of a collectors item. Its community case studies were not included in the more recent publication. It preceded Creating Cohousing which is widely available. I acquired 25 cases from a local distributor who closed down. If you would like three or more copies for yourself, to share with your friends or to market your group, please let me know. I would love for them to be made useful and find great homes. Books are paperback (hard copy was not an option at the time from the publisher) all brand new, in Oakland (CA) so could be picked in Oakland or mailed to you. I would very much like to recuperate what I paid which is $10 per book. So, If you would like three or more shipped, I will add the postage, packing and handling fees. I have sold several cases (18 books per case) for $150 per case ($8 per book). I have a little wiggle room on the pricing. Please let me know if you are interested. Use the Send Message button on this page.
Offer
Offer
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
3 months ago

Home available in Evans Oaks

Join a small co-housing community in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Silverton offers a rural lifestyle just a half hour from Salem and an hour from Portland. Step into an open-concept living area where natural light meets the warmth of a sleek gas fireplace. The open-concept layout flows seamlessly over premium flooring selections tailored for both beauty and durability: Living Areas: Warm, rich wood floors extend through the living room and bedrooms. Entry & Baths: Durable, elegant tile flooring greets you at the door and lines the bathrooms. Kitchen & Laundry: Eco-friendly, resilient marmoleum flooring makes clean-up a breeze. Windows: Double-pane vinyl windows throughout ensure maximum insulation and quiet comfort, along with custom high end window coverings. High-tech keyless entry at the front door for ultimate convenience. Year-Round Climate Control: Stay perfectly comfortable with a high-efficiency mini-split heating and cooling system. Luxury Touches: Retreat to bathrooms featuring heated tile floors for those crisp Oregon mornings. Universal Design: Thoughtfully crafted for longevity and ease, the home features zero-entry access and 32-inch wide doors throughout. The exterior is equally impressive, featuring: Garden Patio: A serene space perfect for alfresco dining or quiet morning coffee. Professional Landscaping: Beautifully maintained grounds connected by elegant flagstone walkways. Detached garage with one parking space and extr

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Communities

A residential project: people live here as their primary home.

Organizations

An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).

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