Editor’s note: This story has been clarified to reflect that Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is the former head of Shambhala and a former member of Naropa University’s Board of Trustees.

The push to save Marpa House is starting to accelerate.

The Community of Marpa House, a nonprofit founded by a group of concerned citizens who originally went by the name “Future of Marpa House committee,” is trying to raise a significant amount of donations and “friendly loans” to save the decades-old building at 891 12th St.

Meanwhile, the Interim Board of Shambhala, which owns the property, has received a “significantly higher offer” from an outside party, and neighbors are worried.

Shambhala, a Buddhist community started in Boulder, released a report earlier this year that said the organization found two credible allegations of sexual misconduct by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the former head of the organization and a former member of Naropa University’s Board of Trustees.

Mipham has since stepped down from both positions. All nine members of the Kalapa Council, which governs Shambhala, also resigned last summer following the allegations.

Other allegations of sexual assault have been leveled against former members of the Boulder Shambhala Center, Michael Smith was arrested Friday, accused of sexually assaulting a girl to whom he was introduced to through the Buddhist community; and William Karelis, who was arrested last year on suspicion of sexual assaulting a girl he was mentoring through the program.

Following the scandal surrounding the sakyong, the board announced it is considering selling Marpa House as it navigates through a “difficult period.”

About 40 people live in Marpa House, including community members, students and others who commit to living as a community and practicing meditation.

In May, the Community of Marpa House group submitted a formal offer to buy Marpa House for $3 million.

The group needs to raise $500,000 in donations and $2 million in friendly loans, which will have 3% interest rates, to counter the outside offer, according to Kaleigh Isaacs, a member of the group.

So far, they have raised $272,000 in donations, which is growing, and $630,000 for friendly loans. The funds are pledges right now, and have not yet been collected.

Isaacs said there are no set deadlines right now, and the selling timeframe is not clear, but they are hoping to build momentum “to show that this is a real offer that the community’s behind.”

“Marpa House is a very well-established, well-functioning 45-year-old community,” she said. “It’s providing low-income housing in Boulder, which is becoming something that people are really concerned about as it becomes harder to live in Boulder.”

The house is unique in that people from all generations and backgrounds live there, Isaacs said, and it truly works. She sees a retired veteran working in the garden to grow food, while also teaching one of the younger children about the work.

Isaacs has lived at Marpa House for the past year and a half. After living in and visiting other cooperative living situations, she can say that Marpa House “is just working.”

“It’s delightful to live there,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the Shambhala Interim Board did not provide a comment for the story by 5 p.m. Friday.

It’s also great to live across from Marpa House, according to Stephan van der Mersch, who lives in the Norlin House across the street.

“They’re very open to the community as well,” he said. “You can walk in and join them for lunch or dinner. We have several friends there.”

The participation, respect and cleanliness of those living in Marpa House, combined with the property’s great landscaping, van der Mersch said, makes them great neighbors.

Nancy Blackwood, president of the University Hill Neighborhood Association Executive Committee, said the initial response to the news from neighbors is one of “significant concern.”

“We understand that an investor, with intentions to convert the house into a fraternity house, has made an offer well above the offer made by the resident group. This has the entire neighborhood very very worried,” Blackwood said in an email. “Yet another large fraternity in our neighborhood … would be devastating and seriously impact our quality of life: loud parties, beer pong, increase in the number of cars/added traffic on our neighborhood streets.”

Blackwood said those living in Marpa House now are “incredible neighbors,” and that losing it would be a “travesty.”

Van der Mersch also is worried that the developer won’t respect the historic nature of the area, which includes two of the oldest houses on The Hill. One consistent fear seems to be that it will be turned into some form of student housing.

“We have a real concern that our home won’t be a safe or a comfortable place to be raising a family anymore,” he said. “(…) I think there’s nobody here that’s very happy about anyone being there except for Marpa House.”

If you go…

What: Neighborhood meeting on helping Marpa House

When: 11 a.m. Saturday

Where: Beach Park, 1280 Euclid Avenue, Boulder