Description

Vision and Values

Cully Grove will be a model development, grounded in the belief that the health and enrichment of individuals, communities, and the places in which they live are inextricably linked. Portland, Oregon is an ideal city in which to experiment with innovative housing models, and we look forward to sharing with others the lessons we learn. This community will be a ‘farm within the city’, designed with a large garden, fruit trees, bees, food processing, community gatherings, play areas for kids, and relaxing areas for adults.

In forming Cully Grove, we are striving to establish a co-operatively governed community in the Cully neighborhood where a diverse group of people share physical and social space, and where the development, decision-making and day-to-day operations of the community reflect our core shared values. We commonly understand these values to include:

Care and respect for other people, the earth, and its natural systems
A commitment to cooperative decision-making and conflict resolution
Diverse opinions, backgrounds, styles, and life stages of residents
Respect for the balance between personal freedom, privacy and the other needs of individuals, and the needs of the community as a whole
Commitment to ongoing personal and community growth
Connection to the larger community of the neighborhood, city and region

To foster these values in daily life at Cully Grove, we will:

Design shared interior and exterior spaces where community interaction is likely to take place.
Encourage creativity and initiative in the use of these spaces, and acknowledge that their use may evolve over time with changing interests, skills and household configurations.
Create and participate in opportunities for sharing, trust, and spontaneous fun necessary to build a sense of place and community.
Ensure that residents have privacy and autonomy within their own homes and adjoining private outdoor spaces.
Share in the maintenance and management of buildings and grounds as equitably as possible.
Create and foster an environment in which it is convenient to share such items as motor vehicles, cargo bikes, home appliances, books, garden equipment, costumes, games, outdoor gear, construction tools, entertainment systems, newspaper subscriptions, internet service and other things suitable for community ownership or informal lending/borrowing.
Be open to educational visits from groups interested in learning about progressive models of community development.