A sustainable mega city is being developed by private investors in Solano County California. Residents from the region will have a say in the design and approval of the mega city.
1. Solano County
California Forever, a company founded in 2017 by Jan Sramek and several investors, recently went public and announced the development, from scratch, of a new solar-based community that spans 55,000 acres (222 square km) of land in Solano County.
Over the past few years, California Forever purchased over 50,000 acres in the eastern Californian County, between Fairfield and Rio Vista. The company owns about half of the properties in this area while landowners own the remaining half. However, the private investors guarantee that the project would not change the zoning of other landowners’ properties — they would remain zoned for agriculture, and those landowners would be able to continue their agricultural operations.
The company’s new website portrays Mediterranean-styled homes and solar-based-agricultural activities. The people living in the county were illustrated cycling and enjoying outdoor activities.
2. Opportunities
While Solano County faces many challenges, the company says it also possesses countless opportunities. A survey was carried out to more than 2,000 residents revealing that they want more opportunities to buy homes in safe, walkable communities.
Last month, 81% of Solano parents we surveyed said that their kids won’t be able to find a future in their own neighborhood when they grow up.
California Forever
The project envisages well paid local jobs, so residents can both live and work in the county. Other key elements include better funding to improve schools, promote public safety, and reduce homelessness, as well as resources to invest in infrastructure for transportation, water, and wildfire protection.
California Forever is collaborating with Solano residents, elected officials, and other Solano stakeholders, including Travis Air Force Base, businesses, the agriculture sector, educators, police, the fire department, conservation agencies, and many others.
3. Investment
The investors behind this mega project include Marc Andreessen, Patrick and John Collison, Chris Dixon, John Doerr, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Reid Hoffman, Michael Moritz, Laurene Powell Jobs, and the California investment firm Andreessen Horowitz. Approximately 97% of the capital raised comes from US investors and the remaining 3% comes from Patrick and John Collison, and other UK and Irish investors.
The stockholders acquired more than 100 unexplained parcels of land through an entity known as Flannery Associates LLC, according to a recent report from the New York Times.
“To date, our company has been quiet about our activities. This has, understandably, created interest, concern, and speculation. Now that we’re no longer limited by confidentiality, we are eager to begin a conversation about the future of Solano County,” reads the group’s statement.
