$1,025 · Collective seeks new housemate/member - Jan 1, Jan 15, Feb 1

Come join our collective in a spacious house near McNeill and Foul Bay! We’re looking for a roommate, ideally in their 30’s or 40’s, who’s interested in co-creating a warm and supportive home. We would like to live with people who are excited about and have experience with collectivity, both politically and in practice, and who have the capacity to invest in house relationships, projects, and collective-building! The space: The house is a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom, newly renovated home on the Oak Bay/Fairfield border. It’s close to the number 7, 1, 2, and 3 bus routes and about a 20 minute walk to Gonzales Beach! The house has lots of natural light and plenty of space, including 2 living rooms, a dining room, a full kitchen, a project kitchen, and a huge deck, backyard, and garden (with greenhouse)! Overall rent is $5500+utilities, which we collectively take responsibility for. We’re expecting a whole house rent increase of $190 to start in February. Available room: Downstairs bedroom, small room but fits a queen size bed, unfurnished or partially furnished, window to garden, closet in room plus access to shared walk-in closet and ability to take over some of the downstairs living room space (cozy fireplace!). One person: $1025/mo. + utilities Two people: $1350 ($675 each)/mo. + utilities Utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet): ~$85/mo. About us: You’ll be joining 4 adults in our 30’s and a 12 year old dog. We’re cultivating a home culture that is queer and neuro-affirming, where folks can unmask and live as their authentic selves. Our aim is to foster a home that is rooted in collectivity; nurturing meaningful connection, friendship, and mutual support; being accountable to each other and our broader communities; and intentionally showing up to share daily life, space, resources, and time. We aim to practice collaborative problem-solving and decision-making, to take an active interest in each other’s lives, and to think equitably about the sharing of resources (energy, time, money, labour). We value direct, open and honest communication that is curiosity-forward, courageous, compassionate, and growth-oriented. Our current collective practices include weekly check-ins and bi-weekly collective-building endeavours (discussions, activities, projects & work days, field trips etc.); the sharing of food costs, cooking, grocery shopping, and other domestic responsibilities; building and caring for a large garden; harvesting and preserving food; and hosting community-building affairs such as craft nights, pagan holiday gatherings, clothing swaps, skill-sharing events, and creative fundraising (outdoor movie nights, haunted house, plant sale etc.). The Housemates: Émile (they/him): is a friendly Yukon fella who’s been living down here for the past four years. Émile enjoys gardening, making art, playing along with a jam, cooking, and writing. Leyah (She/They): late-thirties sober and neurodivergent queer, enjoys making art and gardening, drinking tea, reading, and obsessing over Kazoo. I love yoga, somatic movement, stretching, dancing (especially under the full moon), and am slowly working towards being more physically active after a long period of burn out. Life these days mainly revolves around taking care of my whole self and contributing to community wellness with humor and warmth. Emily (she/her): community-oriented homebody; neurodivergent queer; mid 30’s feminist. I love listening to and making music, sitting by the ocean, creating beautiful gardens, and doing projects with or alongside others (parallel play). I’m currently working towards creating sustainable affordable housing and leaning into my AuDHD needs by embracing rest, joy, radical self-acceptance, and non-productivity. Courtney (she/they): A late twenties, Black, queer, neurodivergent human original from Toronto. Obsessed with the ocean. Happiest when reading, riding bikes, hanging out in and around the ocean, and camping in the backcountry. We hope that you: - are queer savvy and adept at respecting people’s pronouns - are neurodivergent and/or neuroaffirming - are understanding of sensory needs including scent-free/scent-reduced spaces - are willing to work with housemates to navigate covid precautions - don’t regularly use substances at home and are open to living in a sober space - are interested in living together long term so we can grow together and offer each other stability within our home Please send us a message with a bit about yourself and what resonates with you in our post. We will be doing interviews over the next couple of weeks. Accessibility: - This is a sober space, not requiring sober individuals - A dog lives here, one other pet may be acceptable - Scent-reduced space and no smoking in the house or on the property - There are 6 steps up to the front entrance and 3 steps down to the downstairs entrance