Starting a Community Land Trust - Organizational and Operational Choices

Nearly every CLT that has built a record of longevity and success has found support among (1) individuals and institutions at the grassroots level, (2) governmental officials at the local, regional, or state level, (3) other nonprofit organizations operating within the CLT’s service area, and (4) local businesses and banks. It is rare, however, for all of these constituencies to be involved in actually starting a CLT. The inspiration and impetus for a new CLT usually comes from one of them, with the others recruited over time. Any of these supporters may play the leading role in seeding and nurturing a new community land trust. CLTs in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Durham, and Washington, DC, for example, were started by grassroots activists. The impetus and early staffing for CLTs in Burlington, Vermont, Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois came from municipal government. The principal sponsors for CLT programs in Albuquerque, Boston, and Boulder were pre-existing nonprofit community development organizations. In Rochester, Minnesota and in Jackson, Wyoming private employers played a leading role in promoting local CLTs. The start-up of a new CLT may be entrusted to any one of these sponsors – or to any combination thereof. Each has its advantages. Each has its disadvantages. The pros and cons of these four sponsors are weighed below.