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Rundown apartments reborn as food-forest coliving Agritopia

Kirsten Dirksen・45 minutes read

Residents in Portland transformed a run-down apartment building into a sustainable community garden, investing in depaving, rainwater harvesting, ecological sanitation, and solar shower systems. Despite the focus on community and sustainability, the property managers maintain a waitlist of 200-300 people for vacant houses, prioritizing low rents and communal living over rent hikes.

Insights

  • Residents in Portland transformed a run-down apartment building into a sustainable community garden, investing $1.7 million to create a circular garden with 20 families growing various crops, practicing eco-sanitation, rainwater harvesting, and utilizing a compost toilet system to recycle nutrients for gardens, fostering a strong sense of community and sustainability.
  • The eco village in Portland focuses on communal living, with residents required to contribute an hour per month to communal activities, maintaining shared spaces for gatherings, utilizing 58 kilowatts of solar power, and prioritizing community and low rents over profit, showcasing a commitment to sustainable practices, community building, and environmental stewardship.

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Recent questions

  • What is the main focus of the community garden in Portland?

    Sustainability and communal gardening.

  • How did the residents fund the purchase of the property in Portland?

    $1.7 million investment with a 30% down payment.

  • What ecological sanitation practices are implemented in the community in Portland?

    Compost toilets and urine collection tanks.

  • What renewable energy source is utilized on the property in Portland?

    58 kilowatts of solar power.

  • How does the community in Portland handle emergency water supply?

    1500 gallons for 50 residents lasting 30 days.

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Summary

00:00

Portland Community Transforms Property into Sustainable Garden

  • Most apartments and commercial properties in Portland have minimal, easy-to-maintain landscaping, primarily consisting of paved parking spaces and grass, with few ornamental shrubs.
  • A group of residents in Portland transformed a run-down apartment building into a community garden, focusing on sustainability and communal gardening.
  • The residents depaved a giant parking lot on the property to create a circular garden, where 20 families now grow various crops like squashes, carrots, peppers, and fruit trees.
  • The residents invested $1.7 million to buy the property, working with a bank that required a 30% down payment due to the perceived high risk of the investment.
  • The community engaged in an intersection repair project, closing the street to paint a pollinator-themed street painting, fostering community building and interaction.
  • The residents collaborated with a local organization, Depave, to remove asphalt from the property and create garden spaces, unearthing hidden features like an old concrete pond.
  • The community implemented a rainwater harvesting system, utilizing a 100-foot well to tap into the aquifer underneath the property, replenishing it with rainwater.
  • The residents practice ecological sanitation, using compost toilets and urine collection tanks to create fertility for their gardens, recycling nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
  • Each unit in the community has a compost toilet, where residents separate urine and feces, using wood chips to absorb odors and a fan to vent odors, ensuring a pleasant bathroom environment.
  • Residents collect and recycle urine in communal tanks, draining it into a compost area after six months to create a nutrient-rich fertilizer for their gardens, reducing the need for external inputs.

17:12

Sustainable Farming Practices for Food Security

  • Solar shower system tested, using a solar collector on the roof to heat water for showers.
  • Gray water disposal system in place, utilizing biologically safe low sodium soaps to prevent contamination.
  • Neil, a farmer, sells surplus produce at farmers markets, recognizing the importance of local food security.
  • Emergency water supply of 1500 gallons for 50 residents, lasting 30 days during emergencies.
  • Eco-sanitation project includes a urination station and compost courtyard for humanure composting.
  • Compost bins with concrete pads and roof covers to sequester potentially pathogenic compost from humanure.
  • Finished compost is pathogen-free and used for ornamental or fruit tree plantings after a year of treatment.
  • Food forest created over 10 years, with soil constructed from organic gardening activities sequestering carbon.
  • Pest control methods include crushing squash beetles and utilizing paper wasps to control cabbage butterfly caterpillars.
  • Bamboo hedge provides privacy and resources, with rapid growth requiring careful containment to prevent invasiveness.

33:28

Portland's Sustainable Community with Tiny Houses

  • The city of Portland allows one tiny house per single-family dwelling, even if not meeting all codes.
  • Multi-family dwellings are not permitted to have tiny houses, which are considered RVs.
  • Portland's zoning laws allow for no off-street parking within 500 feet of a high-frequency transit zone.
  • The passive house on the property is super insulated and airtight, making it energy-efficient.
  • The basement of the house was remodeled into an accessory dwelling unit with four bedrooms.
  • Thickening walls and using window quilts help maintain temperature efficiently in the passive house.
  • The kitchen compost courtyard is a central activity area, with compost reaching pasteurization temperature.
  • Residents are required to contribute an hour per month to communal activities.
  • The community courtyard and room provide shared spaces for gatherings and guests.
  • The property features 58 kilowatts of solar power, providing most of the building's energy needs.

49:21

"Community-focused property management in Portland"

  • The property managers have shifted away from micromanaging day-to-day renting, with Caleb now handling the process. They maintain a waitlist of 200-300 people for vacant houses in Portland.
  • Despite the potential to double rents, the focus remains on community and low rents at the eco village. A squash tunnel made of cattle panels is used for growing squashes and beans.
  • Residents collaborate on gardens, including a medicinal one in the old swimming pool area. The effort put into maintaining the gardens is seen as enjoyable and community-building, despite being more work than traditional landscaping.
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