Community Land Trusts

Welcome to the Community Land Trust (CLT) section of Community Lots, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s online information source for CLTs and community-based organizations (CBOs) on Community Land trust model.

This section provides information for CLTs and CBOs already involved in the business of CLT and for those who want to adopt the CLT model. The CLT model is a mechanism to provide affordable housing in perpetuity through land leasing and homeownership. While the trust owns the land, they then lease the land to homeowners, who own the structure on the land. The separation in ownership of land and house, allows future buyers to purchase the house only. The trust continues to own the land and lease the land to the next homeowner. In this way, the community is able to maintain a stock of affordable housing, in perpetuity.

This Site sponsors a Forum for “peer-to-peer” exchange of information on CLT model, its challenges and solutions. This section also includes a resource library where a database, papers about various CLT issues, CLT applications and CLT best practices are made accessible to practitioners.