Community Land Trust

Community Land Trust

A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a unique model of land ownership that aims to benefit the community by preserving public access to land, providing affordable housing, promoting economic development, and protecting natural resources. CLTs are non-profit, community-based organizations that acquire and manage land through a trust model, which ensures that the land is owned and controlled by the community rather than private individuals or corporations. One of the key features of a CLT is that it separates the ownership of land from the ownership of buildings or structures on the land. This means that while community members may own their homes or businesses, the land on which those structures are built is owned by the CLT. This allows the CLT to maintain control over the land and ensure that it is used in ways that benefit the community, such as providing affordable housing or preserving green space. CLTs use a variety of strategies to ensure community ownership of land, including land banking, creating a land trust, and holding land in fee simple. Land banking involves acquiring and holding land for future use by the community, while creating a land trust involves transferring ownership of the land to a trust that is managed by community members. Holding land in fee simple means that the CLT owns the land outright, but with certain restrictions on its use to ensure that it benefits the community. In addition to acquiring and managing land, CLTs often provide support to local residents to help them access the land, maintain their homes, and ensure that the land is used in ways that benefit the entire community. This may include providing financing or technical assistance for home repairs, offering training or education programs, or facilitating community engagement and decision-making processes. Overall, a Community Land Trust is a powerful tool for promoting community ownership and control of land, and for ensuring that land is used in ways that benefit the entire community. By separating the ownership of land from the ownership of buildings or structures, CLTs can help to create more affordable housing, preserve green space, and promote economic development in a way that is sustainable and equitable.

non-profit, community-based organization, trust model, affordable housing, economic development, natural resources, land banking, land trust, fee simple, community ownership, financing, technical assistance, community engagement, decision-making

— Brian Johnson