August 7, 2026
Humboldt Commons Receives State Approval to Accept 10% Reservation Deposits
The approval marks a significant milestone in advancing the development process of the planned community in partnership with The Kendal Corporation.
McKinleyville, CA – Humboldt Commons, a nonprofit senior living community and Kendal Affiliate in Development in Humboldt County, California, has received approval from the California Department of Social Services to accept 10% reservation deposits.
Prospective residents can now submit a repayable 10% reservation deposit to secure their future home at Humboldt Commons.
This milestone marks another step completed on the community’s development timeline, which includes starting construction in 2027 and welcoming residents in 2029. The community will feature 109 cottages, apartments, and shared community spaces designed specifically for active adults aged 62 and older.
The project is being led by Life Plan Humboldt, the local board of directors that founded Humboldt Commons, and The Kendal Corporation.
The vision for Humboldt Commons began seven years ago as a grassroots effort among friends who wanted to remain living in the area as they aged and who would later become the board of Life Plan Humboldt.
Ann Lindsay, President of Life Plan Humboldt, first visited a Kendal community in 1973 and experienced the way residents lived with purpose and dignity firsthand. Now, as president of the board, she is seeing Kendal’s values in action.
“We are excited to be taking the next step forward in the development plan for Humboldt Commons,” says Ann. “We are building a community where residents age with independence, social connections and purpose, all in the community they have grown to love.”
Since launching the Future Residents Priority List in late January 2026, the community has attracted more than 250 priority deposits.
“We’re thrilled with the progress at Humboldt Commons, demonstrating that this type of community will serve Humboldt well,” says Vassar Byrd, CEO of The Kendal Corporation. “Working in partnership with the Life Plan Humboldt board and many volunteers working alongside the TKC team is what will make this community a special place for generations to come.”
Additional design materials have been released to future residents as a result of the collaborative design work between Kendal, the Life Plan Humboldt Design Committee, LSW Design, the community’s architect and Pacific Builders.
“It was the Kendal leadership team that suggested we work with LSW. We are so fortunate to have these two perceptive and experienced partners on this project,” says JoAnn Schuch, Life Plan Humboldt Board Member. “The community response to the LSW designs has been overwhelmingly positive. This will help us reach the conversion rate required for our construction bond funding.”
These renderings represent early design concepts for the future look of Humboldt Commons and are subject to changes during construction.
The community’s main entrance offers a generously covered entry and features a hummingbird to greet residents and guests as they arrive.
Residents will enjoy the security of knowing that employees are available around the clock, including a full-time care coordinator dedicated to residents’ health and well-being. The community operates on a holistic philosophy with the goal of keeping residents living in their independent homes for as long as possible with the safety net of additional care if needed. Humboldt Commons will have a Memorandum of Understanding with nearby Timber Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care for temporary stays. In later phases, the community aspires to build higher levels of care for residents on-site.
A central dining space is available in the main apartment building, with three meals available daily. Each resident will receive a meal credit of 20 meals per month as part of the Monthly Service Fee package. Meals will be sourced from local ingredients, whenever possible, and menus will be simple and straightforward, with accommodation for special diets.
With resident well-being top of mind, the Fitness Center on the second floor will offer a variety of flexible programs, run by residents and for residents interested in building strength and flexibility together.
The overall design for Humboldt Commons is grounded in the concept of developing a community that is truly Humboldt – rooted in the fog, light and wind of the North Coast. Outdoor spaces will speak to this with generous, undeveloped wetland space surrounded by walking paths and gathering spaces. There will also be a fenced-in unleashed dog park.
Humboldt Commons is built on the belief that community is created, not purchased. The goal is to focus on healthy aging, and the outdoor spaces are intentionally designed for smaller groups to congregate and chat, and for larger groups to enjoy outdoor entertainment.
Home styles will vary from apartments to cottages, and these pictures show an example of a 2-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom cottage, the Heron. Special attention is paid to keeping public spaces between homes approachable and walkable, meaning a resident can easily have a conversation from their porch with someone walking by, but each home maintains privacy with generous front porches and back patio spaces. Home prices for apartments start at $375,000, with a repayable Entrance Fee for a studio apartment, and $669,000 for a one-bedroom cottage. All the residences in the community will include full kitchens with full-size appliances, and early residents will have the opportunity to personalize some of the interior choices.
About Humboldt Commons
Humboldt Commons is a nonprofit senior living community in development in McKinleyville, California, designed for active adults aged 62 and older. As a Kendal Affiliate in Development, Humboldt Commons combines local leadership from Life Plan Humboldt with the support and expertise of Kendal, a nationally recognized nonprofit senior living organization. The community emphasizes purposeful aging, resident-driven design and inclusivity. For more information, visit humboldt.kendal.org.
About The Kendal Corporation (TKC)
The Kendal Corporation is a not-for-profit organization that supports a system of communities and services for older adults. Founded on Quaker principles, the organization is dedicated to transforming the aging experience through lifelong learning, community engagement and a commitment to excellence in service.
Ten Kendal Affiliates across eight states offer a range of services, including Life Plan Communities, Life Plan Community at Home, independent living, assisted living, memory support, long-term care, and skilled care options. Kendal Affiliates are in New Hampshire; New York; Massachusetts; Virginia; the Washington, D.C., Area; Illinois; Pennsylvania; Ohio and California. There is also an Affiliate in Development in Northern California.
For further information , visit www.kendal.org.