Community Land Trust
Community Land Trust
A community land trust (CLTs) is a community led nonprofit which aims to to maintain the affordability of land and property in perpetuity by acquiring land and removing it from the speculative real estate market. CLTs steward the buildings or other assets on that land to ensure that they continue to serve as a community good. CLTs are key in the housing justice movement because they keep housing affordable.
The CLT movement in the United States began with New Communities Inc., founded by Black farmers in Albany, Georgia, during the Civil Rights Movement. Their vision of collective ownership and self-determination laid the groundwork for a model that today offers hope in the fight for housing justice. Across the country, CLTs are emerging as powerful tools to protect communities, keep wealth local, and ensure that everyone has a place to call home.
What is Collective Ownership and Stewardship?
At its core, community-owned housing is rooted in two key principles: decommodification and shared governance. It cannot be reduced to a single definition, as it reflects the unique needs, histories, and aspirations of the people shaping it. This adaptability is precisely what allows community-owned housing models to flourish across different contexts.
Alternative Housing Models: Social Housing
Social Housing can be government owned, tenant-owned, or owned by nonprofits (such as community land trusts). It is permanently affordable because it is not on the speculative (for-profit) market. It can never be sold for profit, and therefore is not subject to market fluctuations. Social housing is also community-controlled, meaning those living in it play a large role in collaboratively deciding how it is managed.