Transformative Edge of Reform
Transformative Edge of Reform
Community land trusts (CLTs) are nonprofit, community-based organizations designed to ensure community stewardship of land. Community land trusts can be used for many types of development (including commercial and retail), but are primarily used to ensure long-term housing affordability. They can provide low- and moderate-income people with the opportunity to build equity through homeownership and ensure these residents are not displaced due to land speculation and gentrification. In addition to the development of affordable housing, many land trusts are involved in a range of community-focused initiatives including homeownership education programs, commercial development projects, and community greening efforts.
Proposal for a “Black Commons” - A proposal to adopt the community land trust structure to serve as a national vehicle to amass purchased and gifted lands in a Black Commons with the specific purpose of facilitating low cost access for Black Americans hitherto without such access. In short creating one piece of a Black Reparations Movement.
East New York Community Land Trust - a grassroots, people of color-led non-profit organization founded by community residents dedicated to preserving affordability for future generations and providing a vehicle to create generational wealth.
Local jurisdiction reparation efforts
Asheville, North Carolina - Reparations Resolutions - The City Council of the City of Asheville passed a resolution to make amends for its participation in and sanctioning of the Enslavement of Black People; apologizes and makes amends for its enforcement of segregation and its accompanying discriminatory practices; calls on other orgs and institutions in Asheville that have advanced and benefitted from racial inequity to join; calls on the State of North Carolina and other federal government to initiative policymaking and provide funding for reparations at the state and national levels; directs the City Manager to establish a process within the next year to develop short, medium and long term recommendations to specifically address the creation of generational wealth and to boost economic mobility and opportunity in the Black community; fully supports its equity department, staff and utilize their talents; seeks to establish a new commission empowered to make short, medium and long term recommendations that will make significant progress towards repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism.
Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program - Evanston, IL - Eligible individuals receive up to $25,000 from the city's Municipal Cannabis Retailer's Occupation Tax. That money can be used to help with a home down payment or closing cost assistance within the city; help pay for repairs, improvements, or help pay down mortgage principal, interest or late penalties.
Tribal land has access to home repair and home development resources that are determined by and for Indigenous people of the land - not based on federal or state regulation
Despite the growing need for safe, decent homes, federal investments in housing on tribal lands have been chronically underfunded for decades, particularly in more rural and remote areas. While federal programs like the Housing Improvement Program (HIP) exist to provide repairs and renovations to low income tribal lands, home repair and maintenance programs need to be instituted that are not dependent on federal or state regulation, but rather are governed by Indigenous leadership.
Public acknowledgement from HUD and other federal policy makers for the generations of violence, systemic racist policies and practices (e.g. redlining, housing covenants, ) and explicit revision and resourced implementation of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing