More Mesa
The Founding Endowment
264.49 acres of Pacific oceanfront in Santa Barbara — ranked one of the four most beautiful pieces of land in the United States. Zoned for 70 homes. Appraised at $106 million in 2007. Asking $65 million today.
Teachers will own it. And More Mesa will be the place where the world sees what that means.
The Jewel of the West
More Mesa has been called "The Jewel of the West," "The Jewel of the Pacific," and "The Jewel of California." It is a single 264.49-acre Pacific oceanfront parcel, legally subdivided into six lots, zoned for exactly 70 homes. The county has compelled a 15% buildable limit — approximately 40 acres — leaving 225 acres as permanent open space.
That 225-acre permanent commons is not a constraint. It is the most valuable feature of the cooperative vision: a botanical garden, an apiary, a concert venue, a glamping destination, a fairground, and a Long-Term Care facility — all on land that can never be sold out from under the community.
The asking price of $65M is 38% below the 2007 appraisal — before nearly two decades of Santa Barbara appreciation. This is not a development project. This is the founding endowment of the TeacherWorld Global Cooperative.
264.49 Acres of Pacific Oceanfront
More Mesa, Santa Barbara, California — click any photo to view full screen
Photos: More Mesa coastal bluffs, beach, and aerial view — Santa Barbara, California
Precast Concrete + SIPs Factory Panels
The 70 main homes are built with Precast Concrete Modular technology — seismic-rated, fire-resistant, and built to last generations on a coastal mesa. The 210 ADUs are built with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) — a complete insulated shell erected in a single day, drywall-ready in nine business days, at approximately $50,000 per shell.
- ›Land: $65M
- ›70 Main Homes (Precast): $56M
- ›210 ADUs (SIPs): $36.8M
- ›Site Work: $2.1M
- ›Land: $50M mortgage, 30yr @ 6%
- ›LTC Facility: 70% LTV, 25yr @ 5.5%
- ›Annual debt service: $3.6M
- ›Covered by ADU income alone
- ›Phase 1: Land acquisition + 20 homes
- ›Phase 2: Remaining 50 homes + ADUs
- ›Phase 3: LTC Facility (Year 4–5)
- ›Commons activation: Year 1
Nine Streams. One Endowment.
More Mesa is not a single-use development. It is a cooperative economic ecosystem — nine interlocking revenue streams that together generate $8.88M in annual net operating income, with a debt service coverage ratio of 2.47× and $5.28M in free cash flow every year.
Three Accessory Dwelling Units on each of 70 lots, built with SIPs factory panels. Cooperative members pay below-market rates; the surplus funds the endowment.
Yurts, Airstreams, and tent cabins on the 225-acre commons. Permitted under Santa Barbara County's 2024 Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance.
Intimate oceanfront concerts on the Pacific bluff. Phase B scales to 2,000-person events, adding $3.45M NOI annually.
Seasonal farm-to-table markets, artisan fairs, and community festivals. The commons becomes a cultural gathering place for Santa Barbara.
Ten acres of lavender, calendula, aloe vera, rosehip, chamomile, turmeric, peppermint, and echinacea — grown for wholesale and for the product line.
100 bee hives managed safely across the 225-acre commons. Raw honey, beeswax, and propolis sold wholesale and through the cooperative store.
Eleven organic health and skincare products — lavender oil, calendula salve, aloe gel, rosehip serum, honey face mask, and more — grown and produced on-site.
Horseback riding, guided botanical tours, photography/film location fees, yoga retreats, surf tours, and educational field trips — each paying 10–15% of gross receipts.
A cooperative-owned Long-Term Care facility — Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Memory Care — with 20 beds reserved for teacher members at 30% below market rate.
Botanical Garden &
Apiary Sanctuary
The 225-acre permanent commons is planted with eight medicinal and cosmetic species — lavender, calendula, aloe vera, rosehip, chamomile, turmeric, peppermint, and echinacea. The Santa Barbara coastal climate is among the most productive in the world for these plants.
One hundred bee hives are managed safely across the commons, producing raw honey, beeswax, and propolis for the cooperative store and wholesale market. The apiary also creates one of the most significant pollinator sanctuaries in Southern California — a conservation credential that strengthens every permit application and every community relationship.
The More Mesa Botanicals product line — eleven organic health and skincare products grown and produced on-site — generates $547,705 in annual NOI at a 53.8% net margin. Every jar sold tells the story of the cooperative.
The Final Chapter of a Life in Service
The first cooperative-owned Long-Term Care facility in the world designed for teachers — 100 beds, three care levels, zero land cost, and 20 beds reserved for Cooperative members at 30% below the Santa Barbara market rate.
Independent living with support services, direct access to the botanical garden and apiary therapy programmes.
24-hour nursing care in a Pacific oceanfront setting, with intergenerational learning and oral history programmes.
Specialised dementia care with horticultural therapy, music, and sensory garden environments.
"Teachers who spent their careers caring for children deserve a place where they are cared for in return — on a Pacific oceanfront property they own together."
An Endowment That Cannot Be Taken
Held in a Community Land Trust with a waqf endowment layer, More Mesa can never be sold out from under the cooperative. The land works permanently — generating housing, income, healing, and community — so that teachers do not have to.
The cooperative holds the land in perpetuity. No individual can sell it. No corporation can acquire it.
The endowment principle ensures the asset generates income for the cooperative community across generations.
The botanical garden, apiary, concert venue, and glamping grounds are protected open space forever.
One voice, one vote. Every Cooperative member has an equal say in how More Mesa is governed and developed.
Be Part of the Acquisition
The More Mesa acquisition will be structured as a cooperative crowdfund from Founding Members, followed by Community Land Trust formation and phased construction. Register your interest now to receive updates as the campaign moves forward.
The World Is Watching
More Mesa has been covered extensively by the Santa Barbara press. Every article confirms the same truth: this land is extraordinary, contested, and available.
More Mesa Back on the Market for $65 Million
More Mesa, 265 open acres of oceanfront views and public trails on the edge of Santa Barbara's Hope Ranch, is back on the market — drawing renewed attention from conservationists, developers, and the community.
First Piece of Santa Barbara's More Mesa Permanently Preserved
One portion of the heavily trafficked and beloved coastal bluffs of More Mesa is now permanently protected under a new conservation easement — the first in the property's history.
More Mesa Preservation Coalition Launches Campaign to Save the Land
Nonprofit seeks to raise funds to purchase the privately-held land, calling the moment a 'critical crossroads' for one of the last undeveloped coastal parcels in Southern California.
More Mesa Price Hikes to $65 Million
More Mesa's asking price has risen to $65 million — nearly sold for $50 million previously. The 265-acre coastal parcel remains one of the most contested and beloved open spaces in Santa Barbara County.
Land Trust Secures First Permanent Conservation Easement on More Mesa
"These 36 acres will now be forever preserved — not just as an open space, but as a living legacy of our shared commitment to the environment, public access, and future generations." — Supervisor Laura Capps