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FutureLiving Tech Village in S San Jose (Roman Zhovtulya, USA, 12/13/21 3:58 am)

We are working on establishing a self-sustaining experimental futuristic community/tiny-house village on a 20-acre land in South San Jose (25 minutes from San Jose Airport).

It will feature a hydro-park, an innovative farm (hydro/aquaponics, agro-voltaic, vertical gardens, etc), live/work startup incubator/accelerator, several residential areas, community spaces, a workshop/hacker space, etc.

The goal is to create a vibrant tech/startup entrepreneurial community and physical space for the Silicon Valley innovators to unfold their potential.

Here's a more detailed description that we'll be sending to the building department:

The proposed vision for the land is the establishment of a self-sustaining experimental community and a futuristic live/work farm, where cutting edge technologies for food, water and energy production, consumption and recycling are being developed, tested and prepared for large-scale implementation on under-utilized agricultural land to improve local communities and alleviate various crises throughout California.

It will feature a hydro-park, an innovative farm (hydro/aquaponics, agro-voltaic, vertical gardens, etc), live/work startup incubator/accelerator, several residential areas, community spaces, a workshop/hacker space, etc.

Using the latest research in restorative agriculture, sustainable farming and net-positive energy technologies, it is hoped that the proposed development will reduce the existing pollutants in the soil, improve an abandoned creek and lower the likelihood of flooding on the land.

For example, special plants can absorb mercury from the ground and running the creek water through a set of filters before using it in an aquaponic farm will effectively make it much cleaner at the end of the process than at the beginning.

The local community involvement will be an integral part of the initiative. A neighborhood community garden, educational programs, internships and other resources will provide the necessary training for the natural resource stewards of the future.

Visiting scientists and scholars will conduct research and share know-how on best practices for various agricultural and environmental initiatives.

The initial number of residents is expected to be around 10-15, later growing to 50-100 with visiting scholars, interns, etc. Where possible, the hours of operation will be limited to daylight time, to ensure minimal impact on the nearby neighborhood.

The Founding Team comprises of a number of accomplished engineers and entrepreneurs (specializing in software architecture, aeronautics, solar power, modern farming technologies, etc), with existing experience in large-scale land development (successful affordable housing development in Hawaii).

There is also a Facebook group (currently 30 members, who bring extensive experience in biotech, water reclamation, construction, farming, etc).

Finally, the core principles of Future Living Foundation (http://futureliving.info/ ) will play an important role in the project. A brain child of one of the Founding Team members, this Open Source Hardware Initiative aims to apply software development principles to dwelling environments and optimize/re-invent live-work processes. Active for over 15 years, the Foundation has developed novel approaches for adaptable architecture, new live/work processes, etc.

It is hoped that the proposed model can be adopted to comply with all the required codes and standards that the Santa Clara County deems necessary for an experimental agricultural community of such scale.

The Founding Team is honored and grateful to work with the experts at the Santa Clara County to bring this vision to reality and evolve this pilot project into a showpiece for sustainable development of other underutilized agricultural land throughout California.

If anyone is interested in learning more, they can join our Facebook Group: https://fb.me/g/2evNDE5mR/aezzIHLm

Let me know what you think.

JE comments:  Roman, this is a very bold and much-needed initiative, especially for one of the world's least-affordable housing markets:  San José.  I'm quite entrenched in the wilds of far-away Michigan, but I've joined the FutureLiving Facebook group.  Please keep us updated as your plans unfold.  For starters, what kind of charter will prospective members have to agree to?  There is no community without rules, and even the most Utopian society gets a bad apple or two.  Finally, will there be a financial "buy-in" for prospective residents?  Work-in-kind?  Even unused farmland in your neck of the woods is extremely dear.

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