One member, one vote
Voting power comes from membership, not wealth, hours worked, dwelling size or investment.
About
Governed by the people who live there
Settlement Zero is a project in formation to develop, prove and replicate a practical model of affordable cooperative settlement.
Mission
Develop, prove and replicate
Settlement Zero's mission is to develop, prove and replicate a practical model of affordable cooperative settlement built around five systems: water, energy, food, shelter and community.
The first site is a prototype. It is meant to be documented honestly, including what fails, so that the next settlement is cheaper, faster and better.
Systems thinking and settlement-scale planning, including the work of Jacque Fresco, are important influences. Settlement Zero is not a copy of any project and is designed to operate within real legal, financial and market systems.
Key principles
Protections written into the charter
Due process
No member loses membership or home through arbitrary action.
Transparent finances
Common charges, reserves, work credits and redemption obligations are open to members.
Permanent affordability
Memberships are never auctioned to the highest bidder; they return to the Common Share Pool.
Work-to-own guarantee
A defined share of available memberships stays reserved for work-to-own and hybrid pathways.
Ecological stewardship
Development respects water, soil, habitat, hazards and long-term carrying capacity.
Governance model
Who decides what
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Membership Assembly | Highest ordinary democratic authority, within the law and protected constitutional matters. |
| Board of Directors | Elected body overseeing strategy, finances, management and compliance. |
| Site operations | Carries out approved plans under authority the board can revoke. |
| Committees | Research, recommend and manage delegated areas. |
| Independent professionals | Engineering, legal, accounting and safety judgements stay professional, not popularity votes. |
Founder sunset
Founder authority has an end date
Founders carry formation risk and need temporary authority to get Site 001 built. That authority is designed to shrink as residents arrive.
Formation
Founding team leads
Concept, legal formation, brand and fundraising preparation.
Construction
Operational authority, growing Pioneer voice
Enhanced authority for safety, contracts and construction, with increasing Pioneer representation.
Transition
Resident seats expand
As full memberships vest, elected resident seats on the board expand automatically.
Maturity
Resident majority
At a defined trigger, such as 20 full memberships, ordinary governance becomes resident-majority.
Permanent
No founder veto
No founder keeps a personal veto over ordinary community governance.
Legal structure
Direction set, structure not yet chosen
The intended outcome matters more than the label. Counsel will choose the entity and occupancy instrument before any residential contribution is accepted.
Intended outcomes
- The cooperative or mission entity controls the land and major infrastructure
- Full members hold durable occupancy rights and an equal vote
- Each member has a defined capital account
- Departing members are paid under a published formula
- Memberships return to the pool, not the open market
Not yet decided
- Which entity type and in which jurisdiction
- Whether shares, certificates, leases or licences are used
- The vesting schedule and redemption formula
- How work-to-own is treated for employment and tax
- Where Site 001 will be
Get involved
Help build it the right way
The Founding Circle is how early supporters, future Pioneers and professionals stay close to the project as it forms.
Notes
- Draft Governance Charter, Article VIII: ordinary decisions by simple majority of votes cast; constitutional and reserved matters by a proposed 75% supermajority.