The 13.6-acre site of a potential co-housing development borders an existing neighborhood along Isbel Drive, near DeLaveaga Park. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)

Cheng is a founding member of Coastside Cohousing, the organization wanting to develop the site. Cheng and Coastside Cohousing have been looking for a site near the Bay Area for seven years, he said, before recently purchasing the Monte Street property.

He and his wife, who live in Santa Clara County, run TeleVisit, a nonprofit that helps isolated seniors. “We said to ourselves, wait a minute. What about us? Who’s going to be taking care of us?” he recalled.

The couple decided to create a group to pursue cohousing, a living arrangement with a mix of privately-owned houses or condos and communal living spaces. 

Coastside Cohousing would join three other co-housing communities in Santa Cruz County: Walnut Commons in downtown Santa Cruz, Coyote Crossing in Westside Santa Cruz and New Brighton Cohousing in Aptos. 

Cheng also cited Coastal Haven, a co-living community for people with disabilities near Pogonip, as an inspiration for the new development. The community is adjacent to Common Roots Farm, a nonprofit that manages an urban farm alongside people with disabilities, including some Coastal Haven residents. Cheng would similarly like to include space for residents to grow their own food.

Like Cheng, most of the people who have expressed interest in the new community are from the Bay Area. But “we would love to have mostly people from Santa Cruz move in, honestly,” he said.

Most future residents would need to financially invest in the development to purchase their future home. Once the community has formed, the group plans to commission Emeryville-based Gunkel Architecture to design the project, which would then go to the county government for consideration. Some homes may also be developed for rent, he said.

In a recent meeting with 20 neighbors, most were supportive of the development, Cheng said. Parking for residents and visitors will be contained on the property, he said.

On Saturday, the group plans to lead a visit to the site of the future development. The group will meet 10 a.m. at the Scotts Valley Starbucks, 5600 Scotts Valley Drive. Virtual information sessions are also planned for Dec. 17 and Dec. 29. See details.

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