Community Land Trust

Buying a home through a CLT allows you to buy more affordably.

Benefits to You

You can afford a quality home that would be too expensive normally.
Having a support network if a financial hardship hits your family.
Removes homeownership barriers through down payment assistance.
Direct access to trusted contractors and minor home repair loans.
No more landlords: You are the homeowner.
Pass the affordability on or keep it in the family; your children can inherit the house.

Benefits for the Community

Generation after generation of home buyers are able to afford homes otherwise outside of their reach.
CLT’s stabilize communities by helping renters become educated and well resourced homeowners.
CLT’s promote healthy mixed income and diverse neighborhoods.
Affordable housing allows people of all incomes to live close to where they work.
Stable affordable housing is a key determinant to a family’s ability to thrive.
Wealth building opportunities like CLTs allow families to end generational poverty.

How it Works

The graphic shows two examples of families buying CLT homes. At the top right of the image are the Martinez family, represented by cartoon drawings of a man with light brown skin and a woman with dark brown skin. Next to the cartoon of the Martinez family is text saying that the market price of the home the Martinez family wants to buy is $200,000. Below that, it says the amount of CLT Assistance, which is based on income, for the Martinez family is $40,000. The final cost of the home for the Martinez family is $160,000 because their $40,000 in assistance was subtracted from the $200,000 market price of the home. That's the first example of a family buying a CLT home. Below the first example, it says that other down payment assistance may be available to homeowners. Then the second example starts. On the left is another cartoon drawing of the Wright family, shown as a man with white skin and a woman with light brown skin. The graphic says that the Wright family is buying the same home 10 years after the Martinez family bought it. To the right of the drawing of the Wright family, there is text stating that when the Martinez family sells their home to the Wright family, the home's market value is now $250,000. Below that, it says that the house's value increased by $50,000 over the 10 years that the Martinez family owned it. Text below that states that the Martinez family will walk away with $47,500 in profit from the sale. Part of the increase in value of the home was not passed on to the Martinez family in order to help keep it affordable for the Wright family.

Steps to Buying a CLT Home

Buying a CLT home is a little bit different from the normal homebuying process. We'll work together with you and your realtor every step of the way to help you make the right decision for you and your family.

Get Started Here

Step 1

Tour a CHWC home, and ask your realtor to contact us.

Step 2

Sign preliminary purchase contract, and verify your income to determine the amount of CLT assistance you can access.

Step 3

Meet with a housing counselor to get fully informed on the CLT process. Bring documents to verify your income and find out what other resources you can access. Decide whether to move forward or not.