When it comes to adding housing that will be deeply affordable housing and permanent, community land trusts are in a good position to step up. When a community land trust sets its aims and objectives, it can specify how it will treat any changes in the value of the land, which in turn will affect the cost of providing housing on lands owned by the trust.
Community land trusts also have the flexibility to decide how they will acquire and manage the lands they own. This post is about the Dishgamu Humboldt Land Trust and the Parkdale Neigbourhood Land Trust. Both were were set up to provide permanent housing that is deeply affordable, but follow different operating models.
The Dishgamu Humboldt Land Trust (DHLT) operates as a unit of the Wiyot Tribe in northern California. The DHLT recently purchased two homes in Eureka, which is the capital of Humboldt County. The DHLT is in the process of renovating the homes to operate as permanent and deeply affordable housing for homeless youth. The intention is to make the housing available to all youth experiencing homelessness, with Indigenous youth having priority.
The Wiyot Tribe will be providing wraparound services to the tenants. The DHLT has also acquired lands through donations, reparations contributions and negotiations with the local government. You can read more about the DHLT at Next City1: An Indigenous Community Land Trust Is Creating Housing Through #LandBack
The Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust (PNLT) is part of the Parkdale People’s Economy. PNLT operates primarily in the Parkdale neighbourhood in south-central part of Toronto, The land holdings include rooming houses, detached homes and small multi-unit buildings. PNLT owns the land and buildings. PNLT has operating agreements with community agencies to manage the housing and provide supports to the tenants. The following article traces the development and organizational structure of PNLT and its charitable arm, the Neighbourhood Land Trust. Read more in THE LOCAL: Meet Your New Landlord: A Local Nonprofit
You can read more about community land trusts at affordablehousing.org here.
