Elon Musk Plans Separate City For His Employees—Something No CEO Has Ever Done Before

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has unveiled plans to create a separate town, Starbase, specifically for the company’s employees in coastal South Texas. The proposed township would be built near SpaceX's rocket launch facilities and would offer a new way of living and working for its employees.

SpaceX has filed a petition to establish a new municipality, Starbase, in the area near Boca Chica Beach. The goal is to create a community where SpaceX employees can live close to their workplace. If approved, this could make Musk the first business leader to create a city for his employees.

If the city is approved, Gunnar Milburn, SpaceX’s security manager, is expected to become the first mayor of Starbase. His appointment would help guide the creation of the new city, which would have its own local government and officials, making it a unique experiment in corporate-run communities.

The request for a separate municipality comes as SpaceX shifts some of its operations from California to Texas. This move, particularly to the coastal town, was driven by the growing number of employees who started to settle near the SpaceX launch site, leading to the urgent need for permanent housing.

SpaceX employees themselves have been actively supporting the creation of Starbase. They submitted an official petition to Cameron County, asking for a vote on the proposed city, a report by the New York Times said. . The petition includes preliminary plans and, if successful, would allow employees to directly influence the development of their new community.

Starbase would be a small community, covering just 1.5 square miles. It would consist of approximately 500 people, including 219 primary residents and over 100 children. Most of the residents would be renters and employees of SpaceX. The proposed location near Boca Chica Beach offers a quiet environment, ideal for a company-centric town.

The petition is still in the process of approval, and a minimum number of residents and voters are required for the city to be officially established. If Starbase is created, it would need its own police and fire departments, along with local laws and ordinances. Additionally, Musk is exploring housing options outside Bastrop, near Austin, for his other ventures, such as the X office, a SpaceX manufacturing facility, and the Boring Company headquarters.