{"id":1575,"date":"2023-10-25T08:30:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T08:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tapestrycapital.ca\/?p=1575"},"modified":"2023-11-20T17:33:34","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T17:33:34","slug":"community-land-trusts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tapestrycapital.ca\/fr\/community-land-trusts\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a community land trust? Learn about the movement preserving affordable housing and community spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Canada\u2019s housing crisis is reaching a boiling point. We hear about the causes all the time: gentrification, renovictions, real estate bubbles, and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But what about the solutions? One solution with a long history in North America is gaining steam \u2014\u00a0community land trusts. There are now more than 40 of them across Canada working to keep neighbourhoods diverse, affordable, and vibrant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ready to learn more about this growing movement? Here\u2019s a primer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First things first: what is a community land trust?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the broadest sense, community land trusts are non-profit organizations that own land and make decisions for what happens on that land at the direction of their members, typically residents of the area. Together, members decide what their community needs and use the land they own to address those needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, if the neighbourhood needs more affordable housing, they could lease some of their land to a co-op or non-profit housing provider. If they\u2019d like to encourage arts and culture, they could develop studio spaces or performing venues. And much more!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How do members make decisions?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Community land trusts run like democracies. Members of a land trust elect a board who makes the decisions. A common governance structure is the <\/span>tripartite model<\/b>, where one third of the board needs to be made up of residents inside the land trust\u2019s properties, a third made up of members from the surrounding community, and a third made up of government officials, housing experts and other stakeholders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting this balance of power right is key, because it ensures the community land trust doesn\u2019t only act in the interests of any one stakeholder group. This isn\u2019t a glorified NIMBY group, in other words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is there a community land trust near me?<\/span><\/h3>\n

There just might be! There are more than 40 community land trusts across Canada. <\/span>Find a directory here.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n