In Community Land Trusts We Trust

"Though relatively new in Illinois, community land trusts have been around since the 1960s and began as a way to make housing affordable by separating the price of the home from the cost of the land. The strategy has been used in some parts of the United States, particularly on the East Coast, to protect affordable housing in gentrifying urban neighborhoods....The mortgage is more affordable because the cost of the land is not part of the calculation." Proponents say advantages to community land trusts include long-term affordability (in comparison to using subsidies), providing a way for municipalities to comply with state affordable housing requirements, and flexibility in "that they can be adapted to meet a variety of affordable-housing needs--whether urban, suburban or rural."

Thanks to Connie Chung