Jason Benn

Person exploring idea of neighborhood as looser version of co-living: friends moving within walking distance of each other. I love this idea.

https://twitter.com/jasoncbenn

I’m a self-taught AI researcher now coordinating a Neighborhood where 200+ growth-minded people live within a square mile in central San Francisco. It’d be as homey as a small town and as lively as a college campus, while still having all the advantages of being right in the middle of a big city.

Nov'2021: A year ago, I was pushing cohousing at the Archive. But most of my friends were noncommittal. Cohousing is scary, too: it's too expensive, long-term, and difficult. I was frustrated, because I didn't think there was a better solution. But this month feels like the beginning of a breakthrough. I've been talking about a different idea, and it resonates in a way that cohousing never did. The new idea is for a diverse group of values-aligned folks to gradually rent or buy a bunch of houses within walking distance of each other. Houses would be coliving or single family, and they'd each run independently: they'd have their own recruiting and governance. Houses would be loosely federated to coordinate shared spaces and events. One house could turn their garage into the gym and hosts group workouts every morning. Another house could turn a spare room into a library, and friends of the house would gain automatic access. Two adjacent houses could knock down the fence between their backyards and host events or a daycare. The sidewalk life would be lively and serendipitous. After a few years, the neighborhood would be large enough to franchise a daycare or a Montessori school.

He has a Miro mindmap of his community beliefs.