Affordable housing through Community Land Trusts: Examining factors associated with the number of units in CLTs

Abstract

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are a model of housing that helps to ensure affordability and community stability for low-income households. However, there is a dearth of studies that have examined CLTs on a national scale and what factors are associated with the number of units.

This study examined 202 CLTs in the U.S., and we assessed whether CLT characteristics, community socioeconomic factors, and the regulatory and political landscape are associated with the number of units. We found that years of operating the CLT, CLTs that also have rental properties, and CLTs that are publicly-owned or operated are positively associated with more units.

Our findings highlight the importance of municipalities supporting CLTs and future research that can better understand CLT contexts and the development of units.