Interrupting Inequality Through Community Land Trusts

Abstract

Relying on market-based housing policies has been inadequate to meet the need for affordable and sustainable housing and has heightened disparities in the housing system, especially along lines of race and gender. Community land trusts (CLTs) promise more equitable ways of providing stable, secure, and affordable housing for those marginalized in market-based housing. Yet there has been limited research comparing CLT housing with mainstream tenures. Using data from the first sample survey of CLT owners (N = 216) that includes comparison groups of market owners (N = 142) and renters (N = 130) drawn from similar low- and moderate-income populations, we find that those who purchase CLT homes are similar demographically to renters but compared with market owners are more likely to be Black and from households headed by women. We find no difference between CLT and market-rate homeowners in terms of benefits often attributed to homeownership, specifically financial well-being, stability, and a sense of house as home. CLT owners report having more time and resources to pursue desired activities than do market owners. Despite their demographic similarity to CLT owners, renters fare worse on all of these dimensions. We conclude with policy recommendations for housing tenures that provide permanent affordability, greater social equality and greater democratic resident control.