FAQs

Demand is already high. Reserving your home now secures your preferred residence, location and floor plan, along with the maximum benefits of starting early.

When you reserve your home at Humboldt Commons in 2026, you become an Original Groundbreaker and gain access to the maximum benefits available to early participants, including:

What pricing benefits do Original Groundbreakers receive?
You can take advantage of 2026 pre-construction pricing, which locks in the lowest potential Entrance Fee.

Is there a special Entrance Fee option for early depositors?
Yes. A limited 80% repayable Entrance Fee option is available exclusively to early depositors. Later reservation participants receive the 70% Repayable Entrance Fee contract. Entrance Fees are expected to increase over time, so the earlier a customer can lock in the Entrance Fee, the better. Typically, Entrance Fees increase 4-5% each year.

Can I customize my home?
Yes. Original Groundbreakers have the opportunity to select finishes for their home from available options.

Can I choose my home and location?
Yes. Early reservation gives you a greater selection of available homes, locations, and floor plans.

Will I get access to development information early?
Yes. You’ll receive early access to design plans and development updates.

Will there be opportunities to meet the Humboldt Commons team and other future residents?
Yes. Original Groundbreakers will receive invitations to information sessions and community gatherings, along with opportunities to connect with future neighbors and the development team.

How do I organize this potential future move?
Many people considering a move to Humboldt Commons will be navigating this question, including what to do with all of the “stuff” you have accumulated over the many years of living in your home, how to organize your furniture into a smaller space, and how to market and successfully sell your home in order to pay the Entrance Fee. Humboldt Commons has contracted with the Moving Station®, a nationwide provider of moving support, and the community will provide every one of the initial depositors with a free Personal Relocation Manager to support every step of the move—from organization, downsizing, furniture planning, moving, and real estate support.

The 10% Deposit phase has begun, and Future Resident Priority List members are being invited to select their preferred apartment or cottage at Humboldt Commons.

Homes are reserved in the order deposits are received, so the earlier you make your deposit, the sooner you can secure the apartment or cottage you want in your preferred location. Appointments to make Deposits are scheduled according to the order established through the Future Resident Priority List program.

To reserve a future home, you’ll place a 10% deposit, representing 10% of the Entrance Fee for the home you select, along with a non-refundable $300 application fee. Entrance Fees start at $375,000 and vary based on the size and location of the home selected. Your deposit will be held in an escrow account.

The 10% deposit is fully repayable until construction begins. Once construction starts, the deposit remains repayable after another person reserves the home with their own 10% deposit or under other qualifying situations.

Yes. During the Deposit phase, deposits will be 100% repayable until constructions starts. Once construction starts, 10% deposits are fully refundable after someone else reserves the home with their own 10% deposit or under other qualifying situations.

Occasionally, homes become available again before the community opens if someone cancels their reservation or changes their plans. If that occurs, the next individuals on the Priority List will be contacted in order they joined the list.

Construction of Humboldt Commons is expected to take approximately 2 years, with an anticipated start in early 2027 and an opening in 2029. Priority List members and depositors will receive updates on development milestones throughout the process.

Humboldt Commons will include approximately 109 independent living homes in a mix of apartments and cottages (roughly 60/40). All homes are designed with comfort, accessibility, and aging-in-place in mind — featuring wider doorways, open floor plans, zero-barrier showers, comfort-height toilets, and accessible layouts.

Each residence includes:

Humboldt Commons is designed to encourage connection, wellness, and lifelong learning. Residents will enjoy shared indoor and outdoor spaces for dining, social gatherings, cultural programs, wellness activities, and walking paths. A large off-leash dog area is planned. The community is steps from the McKinleyville Town Center, with shops, restaurants, a senior center, library, gyms, a farmers market, walking trails, and volunteer opportunities to support an active, connected life.

Humboldt Commons will have a flexible dining program which includes the availability of three meals per day.. Future residents can expect the dining program to focus on the benefits of communal dining, emphasizing locally grown, simple foods. As part of their monthly service fee, residents at Humboldt Commons will receive 20 meal credits per month to be used in the dining venue for sit-down or grab-n-go options. A meal plan offering 40 credits per month will be available for purchase.

Yes. Parking will be available throughout the community, including electric vehicle charging stations. To help keep overall community costs lower, covered parking and separate storage buildings are not planned for this phase of development.

Humboldt Commons will be designed to support residents’ independence while providing flexible options for additional care and support as needs evolve. The first phase will focus on Independent Living, with opportunities for on-site Assisted Living and Memory Care support available for an additional fee.

A dedicated, full-time Care Coordinator will be on-site to develop a personalized wellness plan for each resident, help coordinate care, and support residents in maintaining their independence at home for as long as possible. A Care Assistant will also be available for an additional fee to provide support with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and medication management.

Residents will also benefit from a community-wide culture of resident-to-resident support, creating opportunities for neighbors to help and look out for one another.

For residents who need additional or more specialized care, Humboldt Commons will offer flexible support, locally delivered. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with neighboring Timber Ridge, an Assisted Living and Memory Support community, to develop an agreement which will provide preferred access for Humboldt Commons residents when additional care is needed.

Together, these resources will give residents and their families greater flexibility, personalized support, and a range of options designed to help residents thrive at Humboldt Commons as their needs change.

The Entrance Fee is the cost of your home at Humboldt Commons. It helps fund the construction of the community and long-term capital needs. It gives you the right to live in the residence without the hassles of home ownership. Entrance Fees for a studio apartment start at $375,000, with fees increasing based on the size, style, and location of the residence. 10% deposits start at $37,500 and vary based on the size and location of the home selected.

Early depositors may select an 80% Repayable Entrance Fee contract: 80% is returned after the resident leaves and the home is reoccupied. Later depositors receive the 70% Repayable Entrance Fee contract. Entrance Fees are expected to increase over time, so the earlier a customer can lock in the Entrance Fee, the better. Typically, Entrance Fees increase 4-5% each year. The second person Entrance Fee is $30,000.

The Monthly Service Fee bundles many common expenses into one predictable payment. It is expected to cover maintenance and repairs, landscaping and grounds, utilities for residences and shared spaces, dining services, property taxes and insurance for community spaces, wellness programs, shared amenities, and staff who will be on-site 24 hours per day, 7 days per week..

Monthly fees vary with the size of the home. Members of the Humboldt Commons sales team can share the fee schedule for both single and double occupancy.

Monthly Service Fees increase 3-5% each year based on community expenses and year-over-year inflation. Monthly Service Fees that are provided in 2026 are in 2026 dollars, and customers should expect an increase annually that will be reflected when they move in 2029. This increase is described in the draft Residence and Services Agreement.

Life Plan Humboldt is the nonprofit organization, run by a local Board of Directors, that founded Humboldt Commons. Life Plan Humboldt board members, volunteers, and ambassadors are active participants and future residents. The Kendal Corporation partnered with Life Plan Humboldt to develop and operate Humboldt Commons under an Affiliate agreement. Life Plan Humboldt remains an independent organization serving the needs of the community.

The Kendal Corporation is a nonprofit organization that develops and operates life plan communities across the country. Kendal provides operational expertise, financial stewardship, and a national network of peer communities. Humboldt Commons benefits from that experience while remaining shaped by the people, culture, and values of the North Coast.