In Oakland, California, a seven-unit communal living compound known as Radish has emerged as a model for a growing interest in co-living arrangements. Established in 2018 by Phil Levin and Kristen Berman, the property spans 14,000 square feet and has housed up to 20 adults and numerous children over its eight-year history. Now listed for sale at $3.95 million, Radish represents a unique approach to residential living, one rooted in the belief that people experience greater happiness when surrounded by close friends and neighbors.
Levin, along with Berman—a behavioral scientist focused on decision making—developed Radish with the intention of fostering strong social connections within a private community. The compound includes shared spaces such as a communal kitchen and dining areas, with buildings given distinctive names like the Blueberry and the Fig, which serve both functional and social purposes. Regular events, such as early evening gatherings dubbed “baby happy hours,” and communal meals have become part of the residents’ routine.
Originally launched with financial backing from 22 investors operating under a limited liability company, Radish allowed for various levels of involvement: some investors lived on-site, others lived nearby, and some participated solely as financial backers. Deena Rosen, an early resident, emphasized the community’s role in supporting her decision to have a child as a single mother, noting that even after moving off-site, she continued to contribute financially and remain engaged.
As Radish prepares to transition ownership, current residents are forming three new co-living communities across the East Bay—in Berkeley and Alameda. In North Berkeley, Osman Koc will oversee a new space, while in South Berkeley, residents Misha Safyan and Diana Danoff have initiated “The Roundabout,” which will accommodate at least nine adults and several children. This project marks the first development to break ground under Levin’s new company, Live Near Friends, which aims to facilitate not only property acquisition but also the creation of co-living compounds from the ground up.
The momentum for such communities comes amid evolving California housing policies, including SB-1123, which permits new starter-home developments on certain vacant single-family lots. Ben Metcalf, managing director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley, remarked on the potential of these policies to support such models but noted that regulatory hurdles like permit approvals and infrastructure expansions continue to present challenges.
Experts suggest that the appeal of communal living may stem from increasing social isolation and a desire for more direct, in-person connections. Jeffrey Hall, a friendship researcher at the University of Kansas, described this trend as an “analog response to our digital world,” highlighting both the benefits and the practical difficulties inherent in co-living, such as coordinating shared responsibilities.
While communal living has longstanding historical roots and other contemporary examples exist—from San Francisco’s Embassy House to cooperative homes in Texas—participants like Safyan acknowledge it is not a universal solution. For some, including Safyan, such arrangements offer a practical alternative to the strains of affordable housing and parenting in an expensive urban environment, providing a tightly knit social support network that traditional housing models may lack.