The Regenerative Living Co.
the natural bridge between tenants, land & impact investors.
Let's be honest... the rental game is big business.
Let's create a better deal for all involved.
We like to pretend it’s not. But the reality is - renting is a business.
BIG business.
There are 2.1M houses rented in Australia. 30% of the housing stock.
Paying on average $524/week.
That's $79B per year... OR $216M per day!
We work harder than we need to,
to pay for housing that is more expensive than it needs to be.
It is madness.
In fact, the more people that don’t own a home…the BIGGER the rental market becomes.
A market of investment properties, interest rates, mortgages, real estate agents, property managers, maintenance teams and worst of all… the cultural atrocity of negative gearing.
The whole game is purely transactional.
No heart. No meaning.
No right relationship to country, community or culture.
This is why we have the cliche…
“Rent money is dead money.”
In most cases it’s true, but imagine if it was NOT true?
What would it would FEEL like if rent money was alive, living, & regenerative?
Rent money that existed in a circular economy; where the landlord and tenant co-invest in a shared vision regenerating the land, improving productivity, habitability and ultimately profitability of the site.
Working together to develop the land, right livelihood and social enterprise.
If only that were true you say. Well, guess what... it already is.
This is how we live now.
Our story so far...
For the last 7 years, Grounded Permaculture Action Party Inc. has;
During this time we have found that to be truly effective as a community organisation going “all in” with permaculture - we need a stable base from which to operate.
Not willing to settle for just anywhere with unclear agreements and vague promises of a utopia - the concept of a Regenerative Living Hub was birthed - bringing clarity and alignment between the needs of the land, tenants and landlord.
The last 4 years have seen the emergence of the first Grounded Regenerative Living Hub at Natural Bridge.
Cedar Waters (fka Famunity) is a 52-acre community nestled high in the headwaters of the Nerang River, Yugambeh Country.
During this time the core crew have been putting down roots, building trust and setting up the culture and systems to establish the first of many Regenerative Living Hubs.
The Problem
The plan was for Grounded to sign a 3+3+3 year commercial lease for the entire site.
However in a changing world, with changing priorities, the landlord now wants to exit the project he began a decade ago.
Without a solid, sound and safe home base from which to operate - the important work Grounded does to regenerate our sacred connection to country, community and culture is in jeopardy.
This moment revealed the weakest link in the Regenerative Living Hub Model as we have been practicing it...
When the landlord is an individual that holds the title and 100% decision making powers that can change at anytime - secure tenure can't never be guaranteed.
It's time to update and upgrade our working model.
The Solution
We have a unique opportunity to raise capital from the extended Grounded community through our crowdfunding campaign and to partner with private investors to buy the Cedar Waters pilot site we currently lease and manage as a Regenerative Living Hub.
The more money we raise through the crowdfunding campaign - the less we need through private investment.
The Regenerative Living Co. will raise the capital, acquire the Cedar Waters pilot site and then lease it to Grounded on a long-term basis.
The long term lease guarantees income for the company and offers secure tenure for the tenant. This long-term agreement, plus a shared vision, values and master plan that act as a covenant for the site, incentivises co-operation and co-investment into major capital works as both parties have the opportunity to realise the gains.
By holding the land in company title with shareholders able to buy and sell shares over time to meet their needs, there should never be any reason for the company to sell the land it acquires.
Investing in the company is seperate from living on site. Investors have the opportunity to live on site, if it fits within the sites context. Everyone who lives on the site pays rent to live there. Investors get first preference to apply to live at existing sites, as well as pitching for the lease and management rights of new sites being considered for acquisition by The Regenerative Living Co. It's all about creating a regenerative circular economy that is fair for all involved.
The Regenerative Living Co.'s net income from leasing sites will be split into three pools:
1. Investor Dividends (paid as cash)
2. Capital Works (to improve existing sites)
3. Expansion Fund (to acquire new sites)
As an extra layer of protection, we plan to register leases on the title so even in the unlikely event of a sale, secure tenure for the tenant is guaranteed.
I'm a regenerative renter
Sick of paying rent to someone who doesn't share my values.
I want a place to call home,
with the flexibility to move and the long-term opportunity to grow.
Everywhere I go I improve the land and spaces I live. I'm looking for alignment in living regeneratively.
I'm a rural land holder
With a rural residential site, within a 1-hr drive of a major centre.
I want to regenerate the land build community and grow an economy around the site.
I'm willing to sell, with the option to lease and manage the site on a long term basis.
I'm an impact investor
Who has been looking for an opportunity like this.
I want to invest in enterprise that regenerates land, builds community AND gives a return.
I have a minimum of $100K in cash or in Self-Managed Super Fund to invest.