Greensboro FPM Hosts Community Land Trust Convening

Greensboro FPM Hosts Community Land Trust Convening

On March 10, The Greensboro office of Field Policy and Management hosted a Community Land Trust (CLT) Convening, which brought together Community Housing Development Organizations, local municipalities, developers, and HUD staff to discuss innovative approaches to developing affordable housing and equitable approaches to homeownership. CLTs are nonprofits governed by participating residents, community members, and local officials that provide permanently affordable housing and wealth-building homeownership opportunities for low-income families.

CLTs are a shared community wealth model that focuses on land stewardship and housing as a community resource rather than a wealth-building opportunity. Roosevelt Grant, Greensboro Field Office Director, stated, "Given the ever-increasing need for affordable housing and the importance of creating pathways for homeownership, it is crucial that we have a whole community approach that creates affordable housing and provides access to homeownership throughout the state."

Jason Webb, Principal for Community and Capacity Building at Grounded Solutions, provided a Community Land Trust 101 presentation that covered the basics of a Community Land Trust, including its origins in the Civil Rights Movement, its purpose, board structure, and how it allows for more equitable and affordable homeownership.

The convening also featured three presentations from Community Land Trusts in North Carolina; the Durham Community Land Trust (DCLT), the Asheville Buncombe Community Land Trust (ABCLT), and Community Home Trust in Chapel Hill. The DCLT recently celebrated its 37th anniversary and presented how its organization has focused on redevelopment without displacement. DCLT Executive Director, Selina Mack, explained how they have been able to renovate or replace vacant or deteriorated housing stock and stabilize neighborhoods through their CLT model.

The ABCLT was formed to address the injustices of urban renewal that displaced thriving African American communities in the city. Anna Zuevskaya, the ABCLT Executive Director, stated that their organization was created to provide permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and low-to-moderate income residents. In turn, this creates economic stability for those excluded from the traditional market through consistent mortgage payments, reduced tax burden, and an opportunity to build wealth.

Kimberly Sanchez, the Executive Director of Community Home Trust, presented how their CLT was formed through their local government and how the Town of Chapel Hill has codified inclusionary zoning to create affordable homeownership opportunities. The Town's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance mandates a set-aside percentage for affordable housing for new developments that meet certain thresholds in the town's center.

Additionally, Senior CPD Representative Sharlene Abbott presented how Participating Jurisdictions can utilize a 15% set aside included in the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO). CHDOs play an essential role in the development, management, and sponsorship of affordable housing, and many organizations interested in the Community Land Trust model may meet HUD's requirements for CHDO status.

There is a critical need for housing throughout North Carolina, and CLTs offer an innovative solution to this challenge. Not only do they increase the supply of affordable housing, but they also focus on improving equity and homeownership opportunities for low-income families. This community-based approach to housing relies on partnerships across multiple layers, including community members, residents, nonprofit organizations, and local government officials. Funding from the Office of Community Planning and Development provided to city and state grantees and then provided to CHDOs, creates pathways for equitable homeownership and an opportunity to address historical injustices and community displacement.

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