Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (“PANA”) formed a 501(c)(2) Holding Corporation, which purchased a 2.2-acre property in San Diego County. PANA is now leading a community visioning process and working to raise money for the development of this property. The project, which is currently called the Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub (RICH), will house refugee-serving and social justice organizations, civic spaces for community gathering/healing/power-building programs, and include transitional housing for migrants as well as permanent affordable housing. The Holding Corporation currently owns and manages the property.
However, the PANA team wants to ensure the project is community stewarded and owned going forward, and is considering establishing a cooperative structure. They would like stakeholders to include, (i) resident members (individuals living in properties owned by the cooperative); (ii) community members (individuals who support the mission and can invest in the cooperative but do not live on the properties, including those donating relatively small amounts of money); and (iii) worker members (those who work for the cooperative, helping to manage and develop properties).

They are seeking a comprehensive consultation with an attorney to discuss the best governance structure for this envisioned ownership model going forward. Importantly, they want to encourage community participation, while also ensuring that the structure does not become too unwieldy. Additionally, they want to limit PANA’s liability to the greatest extent possible.

Ideally, they’d like to have this consultation before mid-November.