ABOUT us ANCIENT ROOTS COOPERATIVE

Please note: new information will be updated as a.r.c. Grows

Who we are

Ancient Roots Cooperative is a restorative development initiative based in the Capital Region of New York. Our vision is to help fill in the gaps that exist between people, land, and community by taking back ownership of land so it can’t be exploited on, by building off grid affordable housing options, and by creating community centered infrastructure. Through a more wholistic lens, A.R.C. is envisioned to model a new way of community power through collaborative consultation. Right now we are in Phase 0, meaning, we have a solid vision and foundation for what we want to become. Now we need more villagers to see this vision become a reality!

This following flow chart explains the three interconnected entities that make up A.R.C.:

Our detailed vision - condensed

Build Homes That Last

By creating a Land Trust, we will be able to acquire land and keep it out of speculative hands. Therefore, allowing us to assess each property for the betterment of the community in which it resides in. Once approved for housing, we’d use sustainable materials (rammed earth, cob, hemp-lime, pre-fabricated homes), and off grid systems (water collection, solar power, passive heating and cooling systems, etc.) to construct homes designed to last a lifetime. We want to make them affordable, ecologically sound, and permanently protected.

Every site would include some variation of (dense) food forests, water systems, renewable energy, and ecological restoration. We heal the land while building along side it.

Create Jobs For Locals

By creating a Groundworkers Cooperative, we are acknowledging that all labor types are required to build a home and a community, and therefore need to be working together, not apart. By training local residents as skilled construction workers, ecological stewards, and as technological innovators, we will be able to keep money circulating locally while advocating for a higher quality and equitable work place. Over time, our Groundworkers will become the entity that will shine a light on what is possible when we collaborate wholistically.

Share Knowledge Freely

Everything we learn—building methods, governance tools, training curricula—is documented and released openly. We’re building a blueprint other communities can replicate. More information to come as we build it out!

Build Community Power

Residents make decisions about their neighborhoods. Not advisory boards. Real voting. Real governance. Real say.

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who we collaborate with

Skilled Trades People

We are seeking to engage with professionals who are able and willing to help us train more skilled trades people. If that’s you, reach out to us!

People seeking housing stability or skilled jobs

No prior experience needed. Women, youth, returning citizens, immigrants, refugees, etc.

We intentionally build pathways for people historically excluded from construction and development.

Community organizations, nonprofits, schools

We partner with existing organizations rather than competing with them. If our values align, let’s work together!

Funders, impact investors, philanthropists

We don’t know how much it will take to start this initiative. However, if some of the most popular builds in Schenectady are $300+million, we don’t think it’s unreasonable to strive towards that level of investment. As we develop our tiers of investment, we know for certain we do not want to accept funding that compromises our values or residents’ power. Be on the lookout for future details on how to invest monetarily!

Policy makers and government partners

We need help removing barriers: streamlining permits for natural materials, supporting land transfers, building policy frameworks for community land trusts. If you and/or someone you know would be a good fit to help us navigate this system, we would love to talk with you/them!

Resources

Pinterest inspo boards
Green power house

April 19th Powerpoint presentation

  • Text overlay on a landscape background of green hills and a cloudy sky, reading 'Ancient Roots Cooperative' and 'Proposal for The Capital Region Of New York & Beyond! April 19th, 2026'.
  • Three circles with text discussing environmental and social issues, titled "The system is not working." The first circle covers economic issues, the second describes rising house prices and homeownership challenges, and the third highlights land exploitation, construction practices, and displacement.
  • A slide titled 'What are the goals of A.R.C.?', listing 13 goals related to community, housing, labor standards, research, and cultural shifts.
  • An orange rectangular button with rounded corners and white text that reads "How do we get there?"
  • A section of a webpage titled "The 3 Entities" and a subsections heading "2. Ancient Roots Cooperative 501(c)(3) Non Profit". The visible part of the webpage discusses nonprofit organizations, their purpose, and tax status, with a large brown button at the bottom asking "How do we get there?"
  • A document page with the title 'The 3 Entities' and a section titled '3. Ancient Roots Commons Trust.' The section discusses community-governed land trust, its purpose, and involved Indigenous nations. A brown rectangle overlays part of the text with the words 'How do we get there?'
  • Diagram showing a positive feedback loop between three concepts: 'Ancient Roots, Construction, Cooperative', with arrows connecting 'Ancient Roots' to these three concepts, and arrows between 'Ancient Roots, Commons Trust' and 'Ancient Roots, Cooperative 501(c)(3) Non Profit'. The diagram emphasizes that they form a closed loop, supporting affordable land and nonprofit methods.
  • A presentation slide titled 'Examples of what is possible' with a list of benefits of rammed earth construction and an image of a modern, curved rammed earth house surrounded by trees and green grass.
  • A construction site showcasing an arch made of compressed earth bricks, with workers and construction materials nearby, illustrating examples of sustainable building materials.
  • A presentation slide titled 'Examples of what is possible' with bullet points about cob, and a photo of two women sitting in a curved, sculptural adobe-style outdoor seating area beside a pond.
  • A person constructing a wooden structure on a porch, with greenery visible outside. The slide discusses prefabricated homes and their benefits.
  • A collage of images illustrating sustainable architecture and renewable energy projects, including a solar orientation diagram, an earth air tunnel diagram, a solar panel parking lot, a glass pyramid greenhouse, and a detailed architectural model.
  • Page titled 'The Training & Operations Commons' describing the center as a hub for construction warehouse, co-working offices, meeting spaces, and a Living Laboratory where architects, engineers, ecologists, and community members collaborate on open-source building research. A brown banner at the bottom reads 'Proof of Concept'.
  • Section of a webpage titled 'The Training & Operations Commons' describing a nature center with greenhouses and outdoor educational areas, featuring a brown label that says 'Proof of Concept'.
  • Title: The Training & Operations Commons; Subtitle: The Play Center; Description: An indoor-outdoor space for community programming, casual gatherings, and intergenerational use; Partial view of a brown sign with white text reading 'Proof of Concept'.
  • A digital graphic with the text "What is needed now?" on a brown background.
  • Text graphic with the message "What is needed now? YOU!" in white and brown lettering on a white background.
  • A section of a document with categories including Funding & Finance, Indigenous Partnership & Rematriation, Construction & Building, and Legal & Governance, listing bullet points under each category related to project planning, funding, legal status, and partnership protocols.
  • Summary of a presentation on community housing development topics, including team leadership, land and property considerations, housing models, community governance, and ways to help.
  • A document with sections on workforce and apprenticeship, policies and standards, food systems and sustainability, and research and innovation, including bullet points about program details, standards, environmental goals, policies, and research projects.
  • A section of a document with headers for 'Risk & Contingency', 'Scaling & Replication', 'Communication & Outreach', and 'External Partnerships', listing various strategies and considerations for project management and community engagement.
  • A presentation slide titled 'IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS (By May 14th)', listing tasks such as proposal, funding ask amount and use, what it enables, presenter roles and narrative, materials needed, Q&A prep, and backup plan for unknown specifics, with a brown footer partially visible.
  • A graphic titled 'Questions & Consultation' with a brown background. It lists various topics including legal governance, land property, construction, workforce, housing, funding, community, food systems, research, indigenous partnership, team leadership, communication, policies, scaling, risk, external partnerships, and immediate next steps.