Relocated Homes Celebrate New Co-op Life

Green. Affordable. Local. Cooperative. This Fall the Solar Community Housing Association (SCHA) opened a new low-income housing cooperative, built by saving two old Davis historic houses, retrofitting them using cutting-edge green building practices, and bringing together community volunteer support. SCHA invites the public to join them in thanking the community and celebrating the completion of this uniquely Davis project with a Open House-Warming on Saturday, October 15th, 2pm – 6pm, at 233/239 J Street, Davis, CA.

One bright early Sunday morning about a year ago, two historic downtown houses travelled from B St. to 3rd and J St. in a colorful summer parade. Since then, the Solar Community Housing Association (SCHA), with the tremendous help of volunteers, interns, and local construction experts, has retrofitted the houses with cutting-edge green building solutions and pursued LEED homes certification. The houses opened their doors in September as a single cooperative community of eight members.

The new co-op is a landmark of green building in Davis, serving as a live demonstration of how Davis can lead the way in sustainable living, and as a model for homeowners who want to retrofit their home to be more energy-efficient and environmentally sound. During the Open House-Warming, SCHA Project Manager Ben Pearl will lead tours to give the public the opportunity to have a close-up look at the energy-efficient design, and will answer questions on the green retrofit process. In the coming months, SCHA and the new houses’ residents will install solar panels, native landscaping for their community gardens, and a greywater system.

The new housing balances the high demand for affordable housing with the sustainable, small-city feel of Davis. Residency is reserved for individuals earning less than 80% of Yolo County median income. In addition to preserving and reusing historical buildings, this high-density infill project conserves valuable open space and helps the city maintain its boundaries within the reach of bikes and public transit. The two houses are run as a single cooperative household, and like the other two SCHA co-op houses it is managed by its residents, who share meals, upkeep, and resources, thus keeping their consumption and expenses low.

The project sought to engage the wider community all the way through, from the initial consensus-based design process to setting the last brick of the walkway. Community members provided invaluable technical design, outreach, construction, and volunteer support. More than 100 UC Davis interns, mostly engineers in training, took advantage of the unique hands-on opportunity to learn construction skills, green building, and teamwork. Several weekend work parties brought together friends and volunteers to demolish old walls, raise new walls, set insulation, tile the roof, paint with natural clay, and partake in food and camaraderie. While expert contractors led the works, community participation was the hallmark of a project that aims to be a resource for the entire city.

The project strengthens Davis’ global reputation for sustainable development while preserving its historical character and community-driven spirit. A homegrown nonprofit itself, SCHA has teamed-up on the the project with the City of Davis Redevelopment Agency, Davis Energy Group, Yolo Federal Credit Union, Sherman Construction, Johnson Design, the Davis Historical Commission, and the Old East Davis Neighborhood Association.

The Open House-Warming will begin at 2pm with an official reception, lunch buffet, and presentations from SCHA and affiliated organizations. Project Manager Ben Pearl will lead tours of the project’s green building features at 3pm and 4pm. At 4:30pm, attendees will be treated to an Ice Cream Social and music.

To learn more about cooperative housing, future SCHA projects, and ways in which you can get involved, visit the SCHA website.

__________________________

About SCHA: Solar Community Housing Association is a Davis 501(c)(3) non-profit that has been providing environmentally conscious and affordable cooperative housing since 1979. SCHA owns two -now three- cooperative houses maintained by residents. The association is managed by a volunteer board of directors composed of residents and community members, and supports local organizations such as Davis Food Co-op, Davis Bike Collective, Yolo Food Bank, California Center for Cooperative Development, and Davis Cooperative Community Network.