What is a Community Land Trust?
A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a not for profit organization grounded by localized, collective and collaborative community stewardship to develop and protect affordable housing, community spaces, and other assets such as faith institutions, businesses, and community green spaces.
The Peel Community Land Trusts is the convening place for CLTs across Peel Region. We hope to support the growth of community land trusts by stewarding housing, land, and other resources we believe contribute to a thriving community.
ALL Community Land Trusts
There are many Community Land Trusts throughout Canada and abroad. Each is unique in its composition, governance, and objectives.
COMMUNITY
Visioned
COMMUNITY
Established
COMMUNITY
Led
COMMUNITY
Stewardship
Key features of a CLT
Community Ownership
The land is owned by the CLT, ensuring that it will serve the ever changing needs of the community rather than private interests and profiteering.
Perpetual Affordability
Many forms of affordable housing being developed today are at risk of becoming unaffordable overtime, due to insecure land tenure, time-limited affordable mandates, and lack of long-term financial viability.
Portfolio Based
CLTs assemble community-owned real estate portfolios, with active acquisition and development pipelines. They aim to sustainably grow their portfolios over time. For example, one CLT may own lands that hold housing cooperatives, affordable rentals, commercial spaces, and community gardens.
Place Based CLTs
Serve a certain geography, from neighbourhoods to entire regions. Some CLTs may encompass specific populations, such as Indigenous or Black communities.
Community Led
A membership and elected board that includes both CLT residents and community members enables community-based decision making. CLTs can create additional ways for community members to get involved, such as tenant advisory committees.
Community Serving
Community land trusts believe that land should be held and stewarded for the benefit of local communities. They respond to land use needs in any given communitiy, often providing communities access to affordable housing, commercial spaces, and other critical community spaces.