They're not quite there yet, but the 26 residents of the ElderGrace housing community see a day when they share vegetables from the community gardens, all get money back from the power company and carpool around town in communally owned electric vehicles.

"This kind of feels like an oasis" from the nearby congested and highly paved cacophony of central Cerrillos Road, said Adele Strasser, who spoke about the community's environmentally friendly water-diversion and landscaping systems.

Strasser happened to be the self-taught water expert; Garland Bellamy figured out how to construct solar water-heating and photovoltaic systems for his home; Rose Driscoll is organizing a communal compost pile composed of residents' kitchen scraps and lawn trimmings, Starbucks coffee grinds and the occasional bear scat she brings back from hiking trips. Pauline Sargent, meanwhile, is working on car-sharing plans.

"I am really looking forward everyone eating lots of healthy vegetables that will come out of our garden, which will feed us well," Driscoll said.

ElderGrace celebrated its first anniversary Sunday, showing off its many minimalist carbon-footprint features.

The community sits on 3 1/2 acres about three blocks south of the 3400 block of Cerrillos Road. It was built, organized and designed by its association members in partnership with the Housing Trust a year ago.

Its residents, who are at least 55 years old, live in one- and two-bedroom homes that are priced between $198,000 and $228,000 and range from 960 square feet to 1,250 square feet.

Residents say the community tries to balance personal privacy and group participation in a semblance of communal living.

Strasser and others noted the short walking distances to shopping and recreational sites, and the quick access to hiking trails.

The homes were designed and constructed with a variety of green and sustainability features, including water-saving devices, passive-solar orientation, in-floor radiant heat, cellulose insulation and a host of other such amenities.

Del Wilkerson, 63, bought an ElderGrace home in late August. "I didn't want to grow old and be alone," he said. "I wanted a place that could be a community and not just a place to live."

Sunday's event organizer, Pamela Gilchrist, said four out of the total of 28 residences remain to be sold.