Community Land Trust Network’s Post

Lots of stimulating conversation at last week’s Community Land Trust Network conference. Some key take-aways (hopefully accurate) • collaboration and partnership were top of the agenda for how to scale community ownership/stewardship (we’ve got lots of thoughts on this! https://lnkd.in/gxXiNe6p ) • Lots of lessons to learn from Kennet CLTs partnership with Bellway Homes, and Aster Homes are the largest RP partner to rural CLTs… • …but only 20% of local authority officers feel they have the support they need to work in a different way - Pooja Agrawal / PUBLIC PRACTICE • meanwhile Daniel Hill highlighted that 80% of homes built by the largest housebuilders are run by private management companies - a model that has been highly criticised by the Competition and Markets Authority • all of this raising questions for what community led management/stewardship models could look like (we’ve lots of thoughts on this too!) - one option being Public Commons Partnerships, nicely framed as “public sector access to finance with community led governance” (forgot the speaker, sorry). Looking forward to picking these ideas up at Housing 2024 this week!

Veteran Housing Corp says that IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF A PERMANENT AND LASTING SOLUTION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND HOMELESSNESS, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM! THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IS BROKEN AND NOT WORKING FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS Veteran Housing Corp would ask every TAXPAYER to demand and get answers from their elected and appointed government officials the below questions as they relate to any affordable, workforce, or supportive housing project in your community! 1. How much local, state, and federal funding, tax credits, or other government benefits or incentives did the project receive? 2. What is the affordability period for each project? Is the affordability period permanent and in perpetuity? 3. What guarantees exist have your local, state, and federal government officials obtained in writing that rents will not go up or that tenants will not be displaced or evicted after the "affordability period expires? Every local, state, and federal housing authority and affordable or workforce housing stakeholder should adopt the State of Vermont's "permanent affordability" policy as a model for all future government funded or subsidized housing projects or developments, no exceptions! https://lnkd.in/eFEUC8c8 Additionally, local, state and federal housing agencies should look to the Helsinki, FINLAND MODEL of ending homelessness by providing affordable housing for all 'It’s a miracle': Helsinki's radical solution to homelessness https://lnkd.in/er9HZSQU Even the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development AGREES THAT adopting FINLAND'S MODEL OF ERADICATING HOMELESSNESS may be of great value to resolving the affordable housing and homelessness crises in America https://lnkd.in/gkSZWYRU

Veteran Housing Corp says that IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF A PERMANENT AND LASTING SOLUTION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND HOMELESSNESS, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM! THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IS BROKEN AND NOT WORKING FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS Veteran Housing Corp would ask every TAXPAYER to demand and get answers from their elected and appointed government officials the below questions as they relate to any affordable, workforce, or supportive housing project in your community! 1. How much local, state, and federal funding, tax credits, or other government benefits or incentives did the project receive? 2. What is the affordability period for each project? Is the affordability period permanent and in perpetuity? 3. What guarantees exist have your local, state, and federal government officials obtained in writing that rents will not go up or that tenants will not be displaced or evicted after the "affordability period expires? Every local, state, and federal housing authority and affordable or workforce housing stakeholder should adopt the State of Vermont's "permanent affordability" policy as a model for all future government funded or subsidized housing projects or developments, no exceptions! https://lnkd.in/eFEUC8c8 Additionally, local, state and federal housing agencies should look to the Helsinki, FINLAND MODEL of ending homelessness by providing affordable housing for all 'It’s a miracle': Helsinki's radical solution to homelessness https://lnkd.in/er9HZSQU Even the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development AGREES THAT adopting FINLAND'S MODEL OF ERADICATING HOMELESSNESS may be of great value to resolving the affordable housing and homelessness crises in America https://lnkd.in/gkSZWYRU

📣 Registration is now open for the 2024 SBAN Summit on Community Ownership on November 14! REGISTER: https://lnkd.in/egeMrCSg Community ownership can provide stability for small businesses and mitigate commercial gentrification pressures. At the summit, we’ll explore individual and collective ownership models that support BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses and help them stay in place, including commercial cooperatives, community land trusts, community investment trusts, and commercial property acquisition funds. The event will feature panel discussions, working sessions, and keynotes by small business advocates, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in community ownership efforts across the United States and abroad. We’ll discuss community ownership as an anti-displacement strategy, develop collective policy priorities, and outline how to advance this strategy at multiple scales. The summit will also feature insights from SBAN research, case studies, and working groups. Note: The event is open to SBAN members and non-members. Register now and join the conversation!

BY THE NUMBERS: During Fiscal Year 2023 The Housing Fund remained steadfast in our commitment to driving positive community change by building and retaining affordable housing, and fostering economic empowerment. Learn more & read our full 2023 Impact Report at https://lnkd.in/er7idM29

Why Community Participation is Critical in Redevelopment - "And what you could miss out on if you don't!" In any community, the decisions about redevelopment—whether it’s infrastructure improvements, housing, or business support—directly impact the people who live and work there. Yet, without active participation, these plans may not fully reflect the community's needs or culture. Here’s why it’s important to engage: Missed Opportunities: By not participating, communities might miss out on valuable programs that could improve housing, businesses, and public safety.  Loss of Identity: Without local input, redevelopment plans risk diluting the unique character and history of the neighborhood.  Lack of Buy-In: Projects without community support often face challenges during implementation, leading to friction and slower progress. The CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) relies on local input to make impactful changes, but if the community remains disengaged, it’s harder to address longstanding issues. Whether it’s attending local meetings, volunteering, or simply staying informed, your involvement makes a difference. Together, we can build a future that benefits everyone. Get involved and help shape a brighter, safer, and more prosperous community. Isn’t that what you want? #CommunityDevelopment #UrbanPlanning #CivicEngagement #Redevelopment #Leadership #Dunbar #CommuniTEA

With cash-strapped councils facing financial crises and shortages, it's important to find sustainable solutions that don't cost a penny. Our solution for keeping green spaces clean and litter-free ticks all the boxes - it's zero cost to councils and landowners, supported by businesses with exclusive OoH ad space in parks and woodlands. Plus, the community wins with education and empowerment. It's a win-win all around! #councils #sustainability #greenspaces #litterpicking Check out this article for more information on the financial challenges faced by councils: https://lnkd.in/esSjUm6Q

Still navigating the new Community Reinvestment Act and its role in fostering equitable access to financial resources? Explore this free guidebook for valuable information and resources to support your community engagement efforts.

Prosperity Indiana #INLegis wrap-up: 2024 Indiana General Assembly session short on focus on Community Economic Development; sets up ‘monumental’ budget session in 2025 A shorter-than-usual 2024 session of the Indiana General Assembly yielded too little progress to grade the legislature a success in delivering for the community economic development sector and the most vulnerable Hoosiers they serve. However, clues from this session will help Prosperity Indiana members and partners prepare for what legislative leaders are already calling a “monumental” budget session in 2025. The bottom line: The potential for tax system changes is just part of what legislative leaders are already calling a “monumental” budget session in 2025, with major implications for affordable housing, community development resources, and asset-building and consumer protection policies. And of course, between them is a set of state and federal elections that will determine which policymakers will be in office and making these decisions. So, in the remainder of this year, how can community economic development stakeholders make their voices heard and be prepared for a momentous 2025? First, every stakeholder should be sure their Prosperity Indiana membership is current so that our network has a united voice to remove barriers, bridge gaps, and create positive change for Hoosier communities. Second, be sure to join and share events and information from our coalitions the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, the Indiana Assets & Opportunity Network, and Hoosiers for Responsible Lending to amplify advocacy on these critical issues. And third, be sure every member of your network is registered to vote following the latest requirements, because stronger Indiana communities are built with ballots every bit as much as they are with bricks and drywall. Read the full wrap-up: https://lnkd.in/ghjhSGE9

Today's new research from the Rural Assets UK project from Nuffield Foundation and The British Academy echos our call for a Community Right to Buy 🔑 💰Community-owned assets contribute an estimated £220m to the UK economy each year 🌇Community ownership creates destination spaces on #highstreets, boosts local spending, promotes social cohesion and increases wellbeing in communities Our recent paper outlines how to make this policy work for everyone, based on interviews with civil servants, community businesses and experts. You can read the paper here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eXndEtcQ Read the Rural Assets UK paper here: Policy and Practice Insights from England 👇 https://lnkd.in/eFw66v9T