Welcome to 611EcoVillage!
Thanks for your interest in the Oakland ecovillage. This will give you more information about the buildings, who we are, where we are, how we operate, and what’s new.
I’m Dan Antonioli, I bought the property a few years ago with the hopes to create as much of a collective process as possible. We’re not a hard-core collective and don’t want to be, so we go by the name of “semi-collective.” We share basic foods, chores, have house meetings, etc. Please cruise the whole site for more details.
In parallel to the 611EcoVillage, I have begun the exciting project of a more country-like ecovillage in the beautiful Northern California town of Laytonville. The vision is just like that of 611, but the scale is far greater. Roads are being built, houses and common gardens designed, off-grid energy systems will be put in place, there will be places for children to play together and places for families and individuals to gather in community. Find out more about it here.
What’s an EcoVillage?
An ecovillage is an intersection of community and sustainability. In an ecovillage, people live together intentionally and not because they just need a place to live. In a society marked by separateness, isolation, and individuality, an intentional community can restore some of the qualities inherent in most human societies.
Sustainability can’t happen by itself. People need to actively participate in sustainable practices. Reducing waste, using environmentally friendly materials and products, installing renewable energy systems, composting, gardening, hang-drying clothes, and finding creative ways to have a softer impact on the planet are some of ways that an ecovillage can promote sustainability.
Ecovillages take many shapes and forms, but the core values of community and sustainability are the same. Most people think of an ecovillage as an off-grid, food self-reliant community of idyllic cabins in a rural or remote place, but the principles of peaceful, simple living and energy self-sufficiency are possible to achieve in any landscape. The urban environment is the perfect one for a sustainable household for many reasons. You don’t have to live twenty miles down a remote dirt road to live in harmony with people and natural systems. Nor to make an enormous difference to a lot of people, by visibility and community activities.
Art, music, yoga, burningman culture, French bistro-theme dinners, and a highly developed sense of the ridiculous all have a place at 611.
The Home
Our dwelling consists of two separate houses
connected by a courtyard.The main house was built in 1908 and the back
house was built in the 1920’s in the California bungalow style. There
are lots of historical craftsman detailing, including hardwood floors,
cove ceilings, claw foot bathtub, built-in cabinets, linen closets, etc.
We have a state-of-the-art efficient water heater, washing machine,
storage, a beautiful roof deck, compost, worm bin, and garden space.
Between six people there’s a lot of privacy within our beautiful, eco-artsy home.
The Location
32nd and Martin Luther King Blvd. We’re a ten-minute walk from MacArthur
BART, walking distance from downtown Oakland, and a short bicycle distance
from Lake Merritt, the Manzanita Cafe, Mama Buzz, and downtown Berkeley. We’re
also next to the 980 freeway.
Pets
We’ll consider a dog or cat if you’re a responsible pet
owner. If you have a dog, they would need to spend at least part of the
time you’re away from the house. If your cat sheds a lot of hair, you’ll
need to do extra work to keep it under control.
Additional Things
We have DSL and Wi-Fi.