diff --git a/crates/community/src/lib.rs b/crates/community/src/lib.rs
index d2705705..86b156bc 100644
--- a/crates/community/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/community/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::collections::HashMap;
 use anyhow::Result;
 use concord::CommunityId;
 use concord::cord01::KIND_WRAP;
+use concord::cord02::CommunityMetadata;
 use concord::store::CommunityState;
 use gpui::{App, AppContext, Context, Entity, EventEmitter, Global, Subscription, Task};
 use nostr_sdk::prelude::*;
@@ -103,6 +104,37 @@ impl CommunityRegistry {
         self.index.get(id).cloned()
     }
 
+    /// Create a community owned by the current account and begin tracking it.
+    pub fn create(&mut self, metadata: CommunityMetadata, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
+        let nostr = NostrRegistry::global(cx);
+
+        if nostr.read(cx).current_user().is_none() {
+            cx.emit(CommunityEvent::Error(
+                "cannot create a community without an account".to_owned(),
+            ));
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let signer = nostr.read(cx).signer();
+        let client = nostr.read(cx).client();
+
+        let task =
+            cx.background_spawn(async move { sync::create(&client, &signer, &metadata).await });
+
+        self.tasks.push(cx.spawn(async move |this, cx| {
+            match task.await {
+                Ok(_state) => this.update(cx, |this, cx| this.load(cx))?,
+                Err(error) => {
+                    this.update(cx, |_this, cx| {
+                        cx.emit(CommunityEvent::Error(error.to_string()));
+                    })?;
+                }
+            }
+
+            Ok(())
+        }));
+    }
+
     /// Forget the current account and cancel everything in flight.
     pub fn reset(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
         self.notification_listener = None;
diff --git a/crates/community/src/sync.rs b/crates/community/src/sync.rs
index bae60867..8097b21a 100644
--- a/crates/community/src/sync.rs
+++ b/crates/community/src/sync.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ use concord::cord02::list::{CommunityList, KIND_COMMUNITY_LIST};
 use concord::cord02::{self, ControlFold};
 use concord::cord04::AuthorityCitation;
 use concord::cord04::roles::{Permissions, citation_ok};
-use concord::derive::{channel_group_key, control_group_key, guestbook_group_key};
+use concord::derive::{
+    channel_group_key, control_group_key, control_signer_group_key, guestbook_group_key,
+};
 use concord::store::{self, CommunityState};
 use concord::{ChannelId, CommunityId, Epoch, GroupKey};
 use nostr_sdk::prelude::*;
@@ -93,6 +95,35 @@ pub struct Snapshot {
     pub members: BTreeSet<PublicKey>,
 }
 
+/// Mints a community owned by `signer` and persists it locally.
+pub async fn create<S>(
+    client: &Client,
+    signer: &S,
+    metadata: &cord02::CommunityMetadata,
+) -> Result<CommunityState>
+where
+    S: AsyncGetPublicKey + AsyncSignEvent + ?Sized,
+{
+    let at_secs = Timestamp::now().as_secs();
+    let genesis = cord02::genesis(signer, metadata, at_secs).await?;
+    let id = genesis.identity.community_id;
+
+    let read = control_group_key(&genesis.community_root, &id, cord02::ROOT_EPOCH)?;
+    let address = control_signer_group_key(&genesis.control_root, &id, cord02::ROOT_EPOCH)?.pk();
+
+    let mut editions = Vec::with_capacity(genesis.wraps.len());
+
+    for wrap in &genesis.wraps {
+        editions.push(cord02::open_edition(wrap, &read, &address, true)?);
+        client.database().save_event(wrap).await?;
+    }
+
+    let state = CommunityState::from_genesis(&genesis, &editions, at_secs.saturating_mul(1000))?;
+    store::save_state(client, &state).await?;
+
+    Ok(state)
+}
+
 /// Discovers the current account's communities from the local database.
 pub async fn load(
     client: &Client,
@@ -151,9 +182,7 @@ async fn load_list(
         return Ok(None);
     };
 
-    let json = signer.nip44_decrypt_async(&self_pk, &event.content).await?;
-
-    Ok(Some(serde_json::from_str(&json)?))
+    Ok(Some(cord02::list::parse_list_event(signer, &event).await?))
 }
 
 /// Rebuilds a community from the wraps already in the local database.
@@ -259,3 +288,115 @@ fn observe(observed: &mut BTreeMap<PublicKey, u64>, author: PublicKey, at_ms: u6
         .and_modify(|seen| *seen = (*seen).max(at_ms))
         .or_insert(at_ms);
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use nostr_memory::MemoryDatabase;
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn client() -> Client {
+        ClientBuilder::default()
+            .database(MemoryDatabase::unbounded())
+            .build()
+    }
+
+    fn metadata(name: &str, relay: &str) -> cord02::CommunityMetadata {
+        cord02::CommunityMetadata {
+            name: name.to_owned(),
+            relays: vec![relay.to_owned()],
+            ..cord02::CommunityMetadata::default()
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// What `CommunityRegistry` needs from a created community: a state document
+    /// `load` finds, a control plane the subscription filter actually addresses,
+    /// and a fold that survives an inbound control edit.
+    #[test]
+    fn creating_a_community_persists_a_state_that_subscribes_and_folds() {
+        smol::block_on(async {
+            let client = client();
+            let keys = Keys::generate();
+            let signer = UniversalSigner::new(keys.clone());
+
+            let created = create(&client, &signer, &metadata("coop", "wss://relay.example"))
+                .await
+                .expect("creates");
+
+            let loaded = load(&client, &signer, keys.public_key())
+                .await
+                .expect("loads");
+            assert_eq!(loaded, vec![created.clone()]);
+
+            // The subscription filter must address the genesis wraps, or the registry
+            // would listen to a plane nothing is ever published on.
+            let planes = planes(&created).expect("planes");
+            let wraps = client
+                .database()
+                .query(subscription_filter(&planes))
+                .await
+                .expect("queries");
+            assert_eq!(wraps.len(), created.heads.len());
+            assert!(wraps.iter().all(|wrap| wrap.kind == Kind::from(KIND_WRAP)));
+
+            let snapshot = fold(&client, &created)
+                .await
+                .expect("folds")
+                .expect("a control plane");
+            assert_eq!(snapshot.state.channels.len(), 1);
+            assert_eq!(snapshot.members, BTreeSet::from([keys.public_key()]));
+            assert_eq!(
+                snapshot
+                    .control
+                    .community
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .map(|metadata| metadata.name.as_str()),
+                Some("coop")
+            );
+
+            // An inbound control edit made by the owner folds over the created state.
+            let community_head = created
+                .heads
+                .iter()
+                .find(|head| head.entity == *created.id.as_bytes())
+                .expect("a community head");
+            let writer = cord02::ControlWriter {
+                author: created.owner,
+                read: control_group_key(&created.community_root, &created.id, cord02::ROOT_EPOCH)
+                    .expect("a reading key"),
+                signer: control_signer_group_key(
+                    &created.control_root.expect("a control root"),
+                    &created.id,
+                    cord02::ROOT_EPOCH,
+                )
+                .expect("a signing key"),
+            };
+
+            let (wrap, _) = writer
+                .set_community_metadata(
+                    &keys,
+                    &created.id,
+                    &metadata("coop two", "wss://relay.example"),
+                    Some(community_head),
+                    None,
+                    Timestamp::now().as_secs() + 1,
+                )
+                .await
+                .expect("publishes");
+            client.database().save_event(&wrap).await.expect("saves");
+
+            let updated = fold(&client, &created)
+                .await
+                .expect("folds")
+                .expect("a control plane");
+            assert_eq!(
+                updated
+                    .control
+                    .community
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .map(|metadata| metadata.name.as_str()),
+                Some("coop two")
+            );
+        });
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docs/concord-simplification-plan.md b/docs/concord-simplification-plan.md
index ace944a2..c9508ff6 100644
--- a/docs/concord-simplification-plan.md
+++ b/docs/concord-simplification-plan.md
@@ -193,12 +193,40 @@ keep the crate compiling: `cord05::{build_invite_list, parse_invite_list}` and
 `cord06::{build_blob, open_blob}` are untouched — they use the NIP-59 and
 group-key paths, not the migrated helpers — and remain `&Keys` for Phase 3.
 
-### Phase 2 — app uses the signer
+### Phase 2 — app uses the signer — DONE
 
-1. `CommunityRegistry::create(&signer, …)` works with `UniversalSigner` directly
-   — no secret exposure. This is the change that makes `subscribe` fire.
-2. Remove the app-side reimplementation of `list::parse_list_event`
-   (`crates/community/src/sync.rs:154-156`) now that it accepts a signer.
+1. `sync::create(client, signer, metadata)` (`crates/community/src/sync.rs`) runs
+   `cord02::genesis`, opens the genesis editions, persists the state with
+   `store::save_state`, and also stores the genesis wraps so the control plane
+   folds locally. It is generic over `S: AsyncGetPublicKey + AsyncSignEvent + ?Sized`
+   (the bounds `genesis` needs and no more, per D2); the app passes its
+   `UniversalSigner`, so no secret material is exposed and NIP-46 accounts work
+   too.
+   `CommunityRegistry::create(metadata, cx)` (`crates/community/src/lib.rs`) is
+   the GPUI wrapper: it refuses when no account is signed in, otherwise runs the
+   task off-thread and refreshes tracking, so `sync::load` now returns one state
+   and `subscribe` finally fires.
+2. The app-side reimplementation of `list::parse_list_event`
+   (`crates/community/src/sync.rs:154-156`) is deleted; `load_list` calls the
+   real `cord02::list::parse_list_event`.
+3. Relays in the metadata are persisted but the genesis is **not** published yet;
+   `create` is local-only. Wiring genesis/broadcast through the relay pool is the
+   next app step, not part of this phase.
+
+Validation: `cargo test -p community` (1 passed), `cargo test -p concord`
+(46 passed), `cargo clippy -p community --all-targets`, `cargo fmt -p community
+--check`, and `cargo check --workspace --all-targets` are all clean.
+
+**Deviation from the plan sketch:** the planned "drive `CommunityRegistry`" test
+is instead a `sync`-layer test, `sync::tests::
+creating_a_community_persists_a_state_that_subscribes_and_folds`. A GPUI-level
+test cannot construct a `NostrRegistry` — it opens LMDB at `config_dir()` and
+connects bootstrap relays in `NostrRegistry::new`, which is private and not
+injectable — so the test drives a `Client` on an in-memory database
+(`nostr-memory`, already a dev-dependency) directly. It asserts the whole
+contract the registry depends on: `create` persists a state `load` returns, the
+subscription filter addresses the genesis wraps, `fold` yields the created
+community, and an inbound control edit folds over it.
 
 ### Phase 3 — migrate the remaining unwired writers
 
@@ -269,12 +297,5 @@ Truly unreferenced even by tests (safe candidates, but kept per D1):
 
 ## 6. Immediate unblock
 
-Two options, both app-side:
-
-1. Smallest (no concord change): expose the local `Keys` the account path
-   already constructs (`crates/state/src/lib.rs:254`) and add
-   `CommunityRegistry::create` around it.
-2. Clean (needs Phase 1): `CommunityRegistry::create(&UniversalSigner, …)` with
-   no secret exposure, working for NIP-46 accounts too.
-
-Option 2 is the reason to do Phase 1.
+Option 2 (the clean path, using `UniversalSigner`) landed in Phase 2. Option 1
+(exposing the local `Keys` from `crates/state/src/lib.rs:254`) is obsolete.