What is the Fishbowl? The Fishbowl is a house in Moab that has served as an affordable, community-oriented co-living space for the last 15 years (at least!). Several generations of locals have found affordable living space and community here, and it has long been a venue for community organizing meetings and social events.
What are you trying to do? We’re forming a nonprofit to buy the house from the current owners and keep it as an affordable, community-oriented, and resident-controlled house forever. To do it, we need to raise $120,000 for a down payment, so we can secure a low enough mortgage to keep rents low for the foreseeable future.
What is a housing cooperative? Housing cooperatives are groups of people who live together and democratically control, or in some cases own, the house they live in. In this case, the house will be owned by a nonprofit corporation rather than specific individuals, but house residents will have control over all important decisions about the house as members of the nonprofit’s board.
Who controls the house? House residents, as members of the nonprofit’s board. The board will also include several seats for long-term Moab residents who don’t live in the house but support its values, in order to maintain continuity as housemates come and go.
Will anyone make money off this? No. No individuals will gain equity from ownership of the house, nor will any individual take on liability for the house — although the nonprofit itself can gain equity that could one day be leveraged to replicate this model with other houses.
How can I help? Lots of ways:
- Donate any amount toward our down payment.
- Pledge a community loan of $5,000+ if you have some cash to spare.
- Offer your skills or time — especially grant writing, or nonprofit and cooperative housing experience.
- Join our board, or just help spread the word.
See Support Us for the details.
What happens to my donation if you can’t buy the house? If for some reason we are unable to buy the house, we will donate these funds to Community Rebuilds.
How do community loans work? You can support us with a loan of $5,000+. For now, we’re taking loan pledges, and we won’t ask for the money until we’re ready to make an offer. We’ll pay these loans back alongside our mortgage, and can offer rates similar to a CD, with higher rates for longer-term loans and lower rates for quicker payback times. To learn more, email our treasurer and board member Emily at fishbowlcoop@protonmail.com.
Who’s behind this? We are Katie, Emily, Laura, Rose, and Cali — the current residents of the Fishbowl. Read our story.