Community Land Trusts are growing in popularity and viability in this age of foreclosure and neighborhood disintegration. The CLT model holds land in trust but allows sales of houses upon that land, with the price of the land being removed from the sale, the price for housing can be far more within reach for working families who actually want to live in a house with a stable situation. The CLT as a legal structure fosters closer interaction between all parties, rootedness for the homeowner, and minimized concern about speculative gains in favor of stability and accountability, one party to another.
This month’s episode features two guests from the San Diego Community Land Trust, where Lee Van Ham is the board chairman. Richard Lawrence, ordained in the Methodist Church, has a long history in social justice work, affordable housing efforts and community building in Chicago and San Diego. Anastasia Brewster, coordinator, has experience in Real Estate consulting and has worked with a Phoenix area CLT before coming to San Diego and working with the local CLT.
Richard and Anastasia discuss not only the basics on the CLT structure, but also some of the stories that drove them to take up this work and their visions for the future success of their work. Each also reflects on the recent CLT conference in Albuquerque, NM.
