Mission

The Northern California Land Trust (NCLT) is a non-profit corporation creating opportunities for permanently affordable home ownership using the community land trust (CLT) model for households without access to the traditional home ownership market. NCLT encourages and assists community residents to organize using the CLT model to guide and preserve CLT assets and to build thriving communities.

Issues

Housing, Community organizing, Urban development, Land rights, Sustainable communities

Activities

Technical assistance, Direct services, Organizing, Education, Advocacy

Programs/
Projects

Current NCLT assets are over $4 million and include 84 units across Northern California. The word "community" in this context means the residents of the geographical area served by the CLT, all of whom are presumed to have an interest in the ways that land, housing, and other resources within the area are allocated and used. The CLT may purchase and rehabilitate existing housing, or develop new housing on vacant land, or it may work with other developers to provide affordable housing on CLT-owned land. Beyond building/rehabilitating homes, NCLT also: provides resident ownership training programs for potential homeowners to help them adjust to this new responsibility, helps communities organize and set up additional land trusts, and offers consulting services to other non-profit or governmental organizations on building affordable housing. NCLT's technical assistance service, which assists both private and public clients, provides counsel and assistance with hands-on implementation of all phases of property conversion as needed by the client. Services include guidance with community organizing, changing federal/state/local housing law compliance, financial sustainability models, resident ownership training programs, and more. NCLT also helps potential new housing organizations -- including new local land trusts -- to incorporate, begin operations or transition through critical passages in the organization's life.

Constitutency

Low to moderate income families

Geographical Focus

Regional

Staff

4

Volunteers

Organization of volunteers in progress

Publications

First newsletter expected September 2002

Annuual Budget

$100,000 - $500,000

Year Founded

1973