Elon Musk is building 'Starbase', his own company town in Texas

Elon Musk

Elon Musk is trying to do what many of his tech compatriots have not been able to achieve: build his own company town in Texas.

According to a report in The New York Times, the billionaire tech mogul, whose companies like SpaceX have established a significant presence in the state, is now pushing forward with plans to establish a town near the SpaceX launch site in Boca Chica, South Texas. The proposed town, which Musk hopes to call "Starbase", could become a new model for company-run communities.

For years, Musk has discussed his desire to create a new town, but it wasn’t until recently that plans began to materialize, the report said.

In December, SpaceX employees in the area filed a petition to incorporate the town, seeking the approval of local authorities in Cameron County.

The petition provides details about the proposed town, which would span 1.5 square miles and house roughly 500 people, most of whom currently rent company-owned homes.

The petition also proposed a slate of city officials, including the first mayor of Starbase, who would reportedly be SpaceX’s security manager, Gunnar Milburn.

Alan Bojorquez, a Texas lawyer with expertise in the incorporation of new towns, told NYT that this situation is quite unique: "I’ve never helped a company that wanted its employees to form their own town."

The proposed town would have the potential to create its own police and fire departments, issue ordinances and manage services like utilities. However, it would not necessarily have to provide all of those services immediately. It could also benefit from eligibility for state and federal grants and certain legal protections that come with municipal status.

According to Kathryn Lueders, SpaceX’s general manager for Starbase, incorporating the town would help manage the growing community and its needs.

SpaceX currently oversees many civil functions in the area, including managing utilities and providing schooling and medical care. Lueders stated in a letter that incorporating Starbase would move these services to a “more appropriate public body.”

While SpaceX’s plans for Starbase are moving forward, the idea of creating a company-run town in Texas isn’t entirely unprecedented. One example is Todd Mission, located north of Houston, where the founder of the Texas Renaissance Festival created a small town and became its mayor.

The petition for Starbase will need to be approved by the county’s legal team before any election can take place. If all goes as planned, residents of the proposed town will vote in the election next year.