Your pathway to residency starts now.
Welcome to Humboldt Commons,
a Project of Life Plan Humboldt
Plan for your future in a vibrant, low-maintenance, resident-driven community, nestled in beautiful Humboldt in Northern California.
Humboldt Commons is the first nonprofit 62+ community of its kind on the North Coast, where nature, neighbors, and peace of mind come together. A development of Life Plan Humboldt, this community is more than a neighborhood. Humboldt Commons is a movement to age well, together, in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Created by and for people who love the outdoors, sustainability, and authentic community, it offers connection and freedom to travel, knowing your home and friends are here when you return.
Think bike rides, beach walks, gardens, potlucks, music, and resident-led clubs…all with less worry. With only 100 homes, this one-of-a-kind community will be reserved quickly. A fully repayable deposit will secure your place on the Future Residents Priority List. In 2026, specific residences can be reserved with a fully repayable deposit.
Don’t wait until “someday.” Join us in shaping a sustainable, resident-driven community in the heart of Humboldt County.
Explore Humboldt Commons
Upcoming Events
Browse our upcoming events and find an opportunity to learn more about Humboldt.
Life Around McKinleyville
At Humboldt Commons, you’re not just surrounded by natural beauty—you’re connected to everything you need for a full and active lifestyle. Located in the heart of the McKinleyville Town Center, residents enjoy convenient access to everyday essentials, local services, and uncrowded natural beauty.
Peace of Mind for Health & Wellbeing
One of the most valuable aspects of joining a community is the security it provides. With professional staff available to help coordinate health needs and life changes, you can face the future with confidence, knowing support is available to help manage those changes when you need it.
Experience the Vision.
Our vision is continuing to take shape, with artists renderings to show what to expect at Humboldt Commons. See more artist’s renderings of the future community in our Gallery.
The Humboldt Commons Story.
Humboldt Commons is the result of the hard work of the grassroots-led nonprofit Life Plan Humboldt(LPH). Founded in 2020, LPH is one of only a few community-led senior living initiatives in the country.
Across America, rural and remote communities face a growing challenge: how to provide older adults with senior living options to allow people to age in the communities they love.
Through years of dedication, thousands of volunteer hours, generous financial support, and an affiliation with Kendal, Humboldt Commons is now able to offer an opportunity for older adults to be part of a purpose-built community on the gorgeous North Coast, which will support independence, active lifestyles, and community connection.
Humboldt Commons is beginning to take shape and early renderings are available to see the vision of our future community. Click HERE to view now in our gallery.
Living in the heart of town.
Humboldt Commons will be near a walkable, accessible hub designed for connections. Just 10 minutes north of Arcata, McKinleyville blends small-community charm with big access to nature. The Hammond Trail winds nearby for biking, walking, and beach access, while local shops, cafés, and services are only steps from your door. Right next door, the Sea Goat Farmstand offers fresh produce, baked goods, and coffee, making everyday living deliciously simple.
Picture strolling to the farmers’ market, grabbing coffee with friends, or heading out for a hike, all without getting in your car. It’s everyday convenience, wrapped in the natural beauty and neighborly spirit that makes Humboldt so extraordinary.
“I love my home of thirty-five years but am ready for something smaller and a sense of close proximity to neighbors. Humboldt Commons will let me enjoy much of what I like now — safe and accessible trails to walk my dog, benches along the parks to rest and take in all the activity, and a short enjoyable walk to a really good bakery, a locally-owned pharmacy, a sushi restaurant and a locally owned grocery store, as well as many other amenities, all within walking distance.”
– Pam Brown
Get to Know Humboldt Commons.
Join the email list to receive updates and learn when it’s time to take the next step toward becoming a future resident.
Humboldt Commons is a Kendal Community.
Humboldt Commons is being developed through a grassroots effort led by your neighbors and friends, together with Kendal, a highly regarded national system of communities and services for older adults. Here, residents will shape their own community experience. This vibrant, resident-driven approach, a cornerstone of all Kendal-affiliated communities, means you’ll have a voice in creating the intellectual, creative, and social opportunities that matter most to you and your neighbors.
Principles and Values.
Humboldt Commons combines a strong sense of place rooted in principles like independence, community, stewardship of the land and equality, which are also aligned with the Quaker values that guide Kendal. Here, you can be who you are and do what you love with the encouragement and support of neighbors and staff. Whether you’re interested in environmental sustainability, artistic pursuits, social responsibility or community service, you’ll find like-minded individuals who share your passions and support your goals.
“Being able to sit on the porch of a cottage to greet people in the community or walk over to common spaces to engage with people sounds wonderful. Being aware of some of the challenges of aging, I look forward to helping others when they are in need and seeking other’s assistance during the moments in my life when I could use a bit of help.”
– Pam Brown
“I am interested in becoming a future resident of Humboldt Commons for a community of interesting people and a much simpler way to live. I do not want to deal with a large house with stairs, attics, collections and a garden that all require work. Just today I was fighting with my garden hose! I can see a future where I have more time to do just as I please.”
– Wynona Nash
“Humboldt County has an amazing can-do spirit. That spirit, plus the giving and action of so many people, leads to big things being accomplished. I LOVE getting big things done for the benefit of our community“
– Carol Rische
“Like so many of our friends our age, we would love to spend the remainder of our days on the Redwood Coast – with extensive trails so available for hiking and biking; and the plethora and variety of cultural events and amenities that happen year-round. We’ve been impressed by the input process for the Humboldt Commons which thoughtfully engaged local seniors and incorporated preferences for aesthetics and activities into the Commons design.“
– Terry Uyeki and David Murphy
“I love my home and garden along with seeing redwoods out my window. And I know the time has come to consider a move from taking care of painting that is in need, trying to clean the windows well, weeding, trimming and digging the yard when my knees say no more.“
– Carol Coar
“I have called Humboldt County home for more than 45 years, and it is where I hope to spend this final chapter of my life. When I first heard about the Humboldt Commons community being built so close to where I live, something in me shifted—it was the first time I allowed myself to imagine a different kind of future, one where I might not have to do everything on my own.”
– Rhonda Geldin
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