Is a Community Land Trust the Best Model for Achieving Your Organization's Goals? Community Land Trust Performance in Different Housing Markets

The goal of this report is to aid community-based organizations and local governments considering the potential use of the community land trust model for the creation of affordable housing and community redevelopment. The report will reference the experiences of three community land trusts (CLTs) of different sizes, servicing communities facing different housing challenges. The case studies demonstrate how CLTs have been used in areas where the cost of housing has dramatically risen. The report also provides examples of the use of CLTs to facilitate community redevelopment.

Community land trusts have received considerable attention in recent years as local governments and housing providers have sought to address increasing shortages of affordable housing. After assessing the distinct housing or redevelopment needs of your community, taking stock of your ability to garner the support to create a diverse membership organization, and formulating a detailed plan on reaching your goals, you will be able to gauge the possible benefits and costs of the CLT model.

A successful CLT will represent the different stakeholders affected by the organization’s activities. The composition of the entity’s board, as well as the duties of CLT members, reflect and facilitate this objective. Many CLTs will find these organizational requirements to be daunting, providing an additional challenge to the already considerable task of creating quality housing options.

The CLT model is a flexible tool, beneficial for addressing housing issues in both expensive markets and disinvested neighborhoods. Different markets, however, present different challenges for CLTs in terms of gaining stakeholder support as well as creating the appropriate housing options. An organization can assess where a CLT can be effective and determine the best practices for operating in a particular market. This report seeks to provide insights to aid you in making these important decisions.