Santa Cruz · Community Ownership Initiative · 2026

SC Buys
The Catalyst

Santa Cruz has launched an initiative to buy the Catalyst and preserve one of the most iconic music venues in the country. The building was sold. The one-week campaign window to raise $4.5M has closed. And now we move to the next phase of the initiative.

Currently in Discovery & Research Phase
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People In
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Total Pledged
50K
People Goal
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Avg Pledge
See Where We Are →
Link copied — now send it!
→ Mission Progress
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✓
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Done
Intent
Pledges
Done
Talks With
Owner Joel
In Progress
Hire Legal,
CPA &
Form LLC
In Progress
Discovery &
Research
Up Next
Confirm
Legal
Structure
Up Next
Campaign
Launches
The Goal
SC Owns
The Catalyst
→ Live Mission Progress

Where We Are
Right Now.

✓ Complete
Community showed up
Hundreds of Santa Cruz residents registered intent during the one-week campaign. The demand is documented and real. Everyone who signed up is on the list.
✓ Complete
Spoke with the Catalyst GM
Early on, we sat down with the General Manager of the Catalyst to open the door. That conversation confirmed there was real openness to a community stake — and set the stage for talking directly with ownership.
→ In Progress
Now talking directly with owner Joel Nelson
We're now in direct conversations with Joel Nelson, the owner of the Catalyst, and together we're exploring how Santa Cruz can have real ownership of the venue — in the brand, the operations, or both. A formal agreement still needs to be reached.
→ In Progress
Legal team secured — PathLight Law
We've engaged PathLight Law as securities counsel to build the legal and financial infrastructure before any money moves. With counsel in place, we're now forming the entity that will hold and govern this initiative and setting up the financial structure to protect every member.
→ In Progress
Developer conversation
The building was sold to GSH Ventures. We are now exploring whether the community can buy the building back — or whether securing a new permanent home makes more strategic sense.
→ In Progress
Researching the right platform
Kickstarter does not allow fundraising to purchase real estate. We are researching platforms built for collective ownership and community investment — the right tool changes everything.
→ In Progress
Determining legal structure
A California cooperative corporation is one model. We are evaluating what structure best allows the community to legally own and operate this — with real governance, real protection, and real benefit.
Waiting on above
Campaign launch
When the answers are clear — what we're buying, through what platform, in what legal structure — the campaign launches. Everyone on the intent list hears first.
Important Update — May 2026

We're Moving
Carefully.

The one-week campaign window has passed. We will not be launching a funding campaign on that original timeline. Before we all commit real money, we need to get the answers that we need together as a community — so that when we move, we move on solid ground. The energy from the pledge week was undeniable. Now we're taking that energy and building the structure that will be strong enough to hold it.

Everyone who registered their intent will be first to know when we're ready to move. We launch when the structure is right — not before.

What the campaign revealed

We Showed Up.
Here's What We Know.

The one-week campaign was an incredible show of the power of our community. We received so much support and offers of resources — and together we proved that Santa Cruz wants this vision executed. Here's what we now know that will lead us to making it real.

01
The owner is at the table
We started with the Catalyst's GM — and we're now in direct conversations with Joel Nelson, the owner, about how the community can hold a stake in the brand or operations. That's a genuine opening we didn't have before. A formal agreement still needs to be built together.
02
Kickstarter isn't the right tool
Kickstarter prohibits using the platform to raise funds for real estate purchases. We can't build a credible community ownership campaign on the wrong platform. We're finding the right one now.
03
Several paths exist — not one
It may still be possible to buy the building back from the developer. Or we may secure a new permanent venue for the Catalyst brand. Each path has different implications for how we structure the campaign and the community ownership model.
04
Legal structure is everything
A cooperative corporation, an LLC, a community land trust — the structure determines what members own, what they vote on, and how money flows. Getting this wrong protects no one. We're doing it right.
The timeline

How We
Got Here.

Nov 2025
A Silicon Valley firm filed to demolish the Catalyst
The community signed petitions. Showed up to meetings. Nothing changed through official channels.
Feb 4, 2026
The building sold to the developer
GSH Ventures closed on the building. The institutional window had closed. Santa Cruz was still talking about it — and still should be.
Feb 19, 2026
The Mayor confirmed the city can't stop it
The system Santa Cruz relies on said it can't help. That's when it became clear: the community has to act for itself.
May 2026
SC Buys The Catalyst launches — community responds
Hundreds registered intent in the first week. The demand signal was clear. The energy was real. The legal and structural groundwork hadn't been laid yet — and that's what we're doing now.
Now
Discovery, research, and structure
We are in active conversations with Joel Nelson, the owner of the Catalyst, we've engaged PathLight Law as our legal counsel, and we're exploring how Santa Cruz can have real ownership of the venue. We're evaluating legal structures as a community and finding the right fundraising platform. We launch when these answers are clear — not before.
What happens next

The Path
Forward.

The campaign isn't over. In fact, it's just begun — and we're adjusting our strategy to align with the information we've gathered over the past week. Here's the sequence from here to community ownership.

01
Answers first
We confirm what's being purchased (building, brand stake, or both), which platform can legally hold community funds at this scale, and what legal structure protects members.
02
Structure gets built
The cooperative or ownership entity is established. Legal documents are reviewed and filed. The financial architecture is set so that your money is protected the moment it moves.
03
Intent list goes first
Everyone who registered intent gets notified before the public campaign opens. You get first access, first mover status, and founding member recognition.
04
Campaign launches
The funding campaign goes live on the right platform, with the right structure, for the right amount. All-or-nothing — money only moves if we hit the goal. Zero financial risk until we do.
05
SC owns The Catalyst
One member. One vote. A permanent community-owned home for the Catalyst — that no developer, no hedge fund, and no outside firm can take away. That's the goal.
Your questions answered

Got
Questions?

After the intent campaign, we uncovered critical gaps that all of us need resolved before real money moves. Kickstarter can't be used for real estate fundraising. The legal structure hasn't been established yet. We don't yet have a formal agreement in place or full clarity on the developer's position. As a community, we deserve something solid — not something rushed. Moving fast past those gaps wouldn't protect anyone.
Nothing. You're on the list. When the campaign is ready to go live, you'll be the first to know — before any public announcement. Your spot as a founding member is held.
Both paths are open right now. We are exploring whether the community can buy the building back from the developer, whether we acquire a new building to give the Catalyst brand a permanent home, or whether a community stake in the Catalyst brand and operations is the primary vehicle. The answer to this question determines everything else — the structure, the platform, the ask. That's why we're taking the time to find out.
Kickstarter's terms of service prohibit using the platform to raise funds to purchase real estate. Since buying a building is one possible path in this campaign, Kickstarter may not be the right vehicle. We are researching platforms purpose-built for collective ownership and community investment at this scale — where the legal framework actually fits the goal.
The exact structure is being determined now, but the model we're working toward is a community ownership entity — likely a California cooperative corporation — where every member gets one vote regardless of pledge amount, and the Catalyst can never be sold to an outside firm without member approval. Think Green Bay Packers: 360,000 ordinary people own the team. No billionaire can move it. That's the model.
This initiative is organized by Jay Brown — creative director, story designer, and media producer — operating under Mindfraime, a creative direction studio built for community and culture. In partnership with Jeremy Stone, Santa Cruz Arts Commissioner and founder of Sonivore.
The community is still moving

Stay In
The Loop.

We're not done. We're getting it right. When the campaign is ready, you'll be the first to know.

Non-binding registration of intent only. No money is collected at any stage until a formal campaign launches on a vetted platform with a confirmed legal structure. All ownership structures subject to legal review and approval. Participation does not guarantee ownership or financial return. Nothing here constitutes a securities offering or investment contract.
A Mindfraime Initiative · Santa Cruz, CA · 2026