Community Status

February, 2011

Dear Friends,

We thank you for visiting the Open Circle Communities web site as you think about where and how you may want to live in the future.  Many of you have inquired about the status of our work and we want to give you an update.

In the summer of 2008, Open Circle Communities had a wonderful 28 acres under contract in Milton, Delaware. We were working with architects and making our way through the planning and zoning process, making presentations to investors and talking with potential homebuyers.

And then the economy in our country took a serious turn, most of which initially revolved around real estate development and home-building. Open Circle Communities was profoundly affected by this market downswing. We engaged in serious conversations with many advisors about how to make good business decisions in challenging financial times.

It is now over two years since the financial crisis began and individual investors and financial institutions are still not funding new projects and the market for selling and buying homes continues to be extremely tentative. Individuals are still reeling from the damage done to their personal portfolios and many tell us they are delaying their timetable for retirement.

Given the unstable economic environment we adjusted our business plans and released our hold on the land in Milton. What this means in practical terms is we put Open Circle Communities in a “holding pattern” until the financial markets stabilize.

For now, we continue to promote the idea and encourage conversations about LGBT specific communities and how we will age adventurously! Open Circle’s mission is enduring and the need for vibrant, safe, and loving communities for LGBT individuals is strong.

We thank you for your interest in this unique project and we welcome your thoughts. Sign up with us if you would like to receive our periodic updates.

Warm regards,
Susan Hester and Sandy Douglass