Los Angeles Eco-Village
California, USA
Urban ecovillage demonstrating sustainable retrofit, community land trust, and car-light living
Key facts
- Country: USA
- Region: California
- Founded: 1993
- Members: 50
- Governance model: Democratic cooperative with neighborhood councils
- Economy model: Cooperative ownership with affordable housing model
- Ownership model: Limited equity housing cooperative
- Status: active
- Website: https://laecovillage.org
About
Urban ecovillage demonstrating sustainable retrofit, community land trust, and car-light living
Full description
Los Angeles Eco-Village (LAEV), founded in the early 1990s, is an urban ecovillage demonstrating sustainable community living in the heart of a major metropolitan area. Located in the Koreatown/East Hollywood neighborhood, LAEV occupies two city blocks and includes approximately 500 residents living in cooperative housing arrangements. The community focuses on reducing car dependency, growing food in urban gardens, implementing green building practices, and creating strong neighborhood connections. LAEV pioneered urban sustainability strategies including traffic calming, rainwater harvesting, solar energy, and community-supported agriculture in a dense urban context. The project serves as a model for transforming existing urban neighborhoods into sustainable, pedestrian-friendly communities without requiring new construction or suburban greenfield development.