Lincoln Institute of Land Policy — Still the ONE (Case Study)
Lincoln Institute's Policy Focus Report
News from the CLT Center
Gus Newport in Memoriam
Dave Smith Interview with Gavin Barwell
World CLT Day 2024
Updates from CLT Networks
Brazil
Canada
Belgium
Reweaving the Tapestry of Tenure — a brand new publication from Terra Nostra Press
In our final newsletter of 2023, we are shining a spotlight on key articles about community land trusts, highlighting updates from the CLT Center, as well as sharing the latest developments from national and regional CLT networks.
In addition to these announcements, make sure to check out our newest publication: Reweaving the Tapestry of Tenure, exploring the evolution of the CLT movement through the perspectives of eight elders who advocated for community land ownership.
Happy holidays to you and yours — stay tuned and see you in 2024!
CLTs in the News
MacKenzie Scott's Historic Contributions to CLTs: Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott continues her impactful contributions to affordable housing initiatives, with a historic USD 20 million donation to Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) in Vermont, the largest in its 40-year history. Scott's broader commitments include a USD 5 million donation to the Houston Community Land Trust, USD 20 million to the San Francisco Community Land Trust, USD 10 million to the Homestead Community Land Trust in King County, Washington, USD 10 million for City of Lakes Community Land Trust, and a historic USD 12 million to Grounded Solutions Network.
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy — Still the ONE (Case Study): The Center for CLT Innovation is proud to be featured in the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's new documentary film and multimedia case study examining Burlington, Vermont's affordable housing strategies in the Old North End neighborhood. The documentary traces Burlington's housing initiatives back to the 1980s, featuring insights from key figures such as the Center's board Co-President, John Davis, and board member, Brenda Torpy. Watch the video and learn more here >>
Update to Lincoln Institute's Policy Focus Report: Back in 2008, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy published a Policy Focus Report entitled The City-CLT Partnership, cataloguing municipal policies and programs supporting both start-up CLTs and established CLTs in the United States. Since then, the US CLT landscape has evolved, and the Lincoln Institute has commissioned an update by the Center for CLT Innovation. If you were selected, a request to complete a short 20-minute survey on your experiences with city or county governments in relation to CLTs should already be in your inbox. Your input here is crucial; please submit your feedback by December 22nd and thank you for your participation.
News from the CLT Center
Gus Newport in Memoriam: In the wake of a challenging year marked by loss and turmoil, the passing of Gus Newport, founding member of the CLT Center's board and a guiding light for social justice, is deeply felt. The memorial in Oakland, part of The Gus Newport Project, celebrated his legacy in social justice through oral histories and archives. Tributes highlighted his roles as Berkeley's mayor, community developer, and human rights advocate. The video serves as a remembrance, sharing his global impact and the need for ongoing support. Watch the video below:
Dave Smith Interview with Gavin Barwell: Board Member Dave Smith interviewed former UK Housing Minister and former Chief of Staff to UK Prime Minister (Theresa May), Gavin Barwell. The interview was conducted in the summer of 2023 as part of the Eastlight Community Homes new Housing Academy series and discusses, amongst other things, London CLT. Click here for more >>
SAVE THE DATE: World CLT Day 2024 — In collaboration with our colleagues at the European CLT Network, dates for World CLT Day 2024 will be on 17 and 18 May 2024. Stay tuned for more information to follow!
Updates from CLT Networks
Brazil
On October 28th, 2023, Catalytic Communities celebrated its 5th anniversary of the Favela-CLT project in Rio. To mark this special occasion, they hosted an in-person event with online streaming, featuring esteemed guests:
Ashley Allen, Houston Community Land Trust, Executive Director (USA)
Razia Khanom, London Community Land Trust, Vice President (UK)
Mario Nuñez, Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña (Puerto Rico)
Barbara de Jesús, Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña (Puerto Rico)
There were over 120 attendees in-person and more than 500 people who participated online, reinforcing the project's strength and growing significance in Brazil.
Coming out of this special event are two reflections:
CLT Center Board Member and Coordinator of the Favela Community Land Trust Project at Catalytic Communities, Tarcyla Fidalgo, delves into the success of the event from her perspective. Read more >>
CLT Center and Board Member Razia Khanom and London Community Land Trust Vice President, Razia Khanom, writes about the transformative journey from London to Rio and the heartfelt impact it had speaking with communities in Rio de Janeiro. Read more >>
In addition, here's a great three-part series on the nomenclature surrounding Brazil's Favelas:
The inaugural Canadian CLT Summit, themed "Seeding Change, Cultivating Tomorrow," addressed Canada's housing crisis. The event, attended by 170 participants, featured CLT Center Board Member Brenda Torpy, Collaborative efforts and discussions marked the summit, with Aboriginal leaders emphasizing the need for communal stewardship. Canada's CLTs showcased innovative responses, preserving affordability, combating gentrification, and addressing rural housing challenges. The summit, supported by a grant from CMHC, reflected the CLT movement's growth and potential in advancing land and housing justice across Canada. Read more >>
Belgium
Leading up to the Belgian regional elections in June 2024, the CLTB has published a political memorandum. The memorandum highlights the impacts of the CLTB, its growth from a grassroots action group to a regional partner for social housing provision, and key policy recommendations to further support its work. Find it here in both French and Dutch >>
Reweaving the Tapestry of Tenure
A New Publication from Terra Nostra Press
The community land trust (CLT) movement, now comprising nearly 600 CLTs across multiple countries, owes its growth to pioneers like Shirley Sherrod, Mtamanika Youngblood, Kirby White, Susan Witt, Gus Newport, Stephen Hill, María Hernández Torrales, and Yves Cabannes. These influential figures, featured in recent interviews, share a common vision: transforming land ownership to promote equitable development.
This book, the second in our interview series, was crafted in collaboration with these elders, tracing their journey in championing CLTs as practical tools, converting land from a speculative commodity to a community asset for the common good. Check out "Reweaving the Tapestry of Tenure," a compelling exploration of the CLT movement's evolution and uncover their vision for equitable development, land reform, and the pivotal role of CLTs.
The inaugural Canadian CLT Summit, themed "Seeding Change, Cultivating Tomorrow," addressed Canada's housing crisis. The event, attended by 170 participants, featured CLT Center Board Member Brenda Torpy, Collaborative efforts and discussions marked the summit, with Aboriginal leaders emphasizing the need for communal stewardship. Canada's CLTs showcased innovative responses, preserving affordability, combating gentrification, and addressing rural housing challenges. The summit, supported by a grant from CMHC, reflected the CLT movement's growth and potential in advancing land and housing justice across Canada. 
