CLT named after Ruchell "Cinqué" Magee, considered by many to have been the longest-held political prisoner in the United States, aims to create not just affordability, but belonging.
Starting Over Inc., a Southern California advocacy group, has launched the Ruchell “Cinqué” Magee Community Land Trust, the first CLT dedicated to housing and supporting people leaving incarceration. Named after Magee—widely considered the longest-held political prisoner in the U.S. and a figure of the Black liberation movement—the trust seeks to provide not just affordable housing but also belonging, wealth-building, and stability for justice-impacted individuals.
The initiative responds to staggering need: up to 70 percent of Californians experiencing homelessness have incarceration histories, and reentry housing options are often underfunded and carceral in nature. The Magee CLT envisions homes, community gardens, and revenue-generating spaces, shaped by a community advisory board of people with lived experience.
By centering those harmed by the justice system, the Magee CLT challenges housing, racial, and economic inequities—and points toward a future where reentry means more than survival; it means opportunity.
Read the full story: A Community Land Trust for People Leaving Incarceration Honors a ‘Forgotten Figure’ of Black Liberation
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