SquareOne
Community Land Trust
SquareOne Villages has adopted a Community Land Trust (CLT) model. In a CLT, a nonprofit retains ownership of the land and provides a long-term ground lease to the owners of the housing on the land, with the intent of guaranteeing permnent affordability. We believe that building a non-commercial housing sector—outside of the influence of market pressures—is a critical step to addressing the roots of our housing affordability problem.
Mission of the SquareOne Community Land Trust
To acquire and hold land in trust in order to provide for permanently affordable housing with the objective of forever removing the land from the speculative market. Homes shall be built and lands shall be used in an environmentally sensitive and socially responsible manner.
SquareOne CLT Portfolio
The SquareOne Land Trust currently includes a total of 10 acres of land across 6 sites. On this land we have 41 units of permanently affordable, co-operative housing, with plans to add 124 units to this land in the coming years.
How is Affordability Protected?
SquareOne Villages has adopted model bylaws from the CLT Technical Manual that restrict the sale of land and provide long-term affordability controls within our ground leases. We are also in the process of adding 1/3 representation from residents that live in housing on our land to our Board of Directors.
Help us Grow the SquareOne CLT!
Of the the three most recent sites we've acquired, two were donated and one was offered at a below-market price. Given current conditions in our financialized housing market, this is a huge help in allowing us to achieve deeper affordability goals.
If you or someone you know may be interested in donating or selling land to the SquareOne Community Land Trust, please contact us!
Cooperative Land Trust Housing
The cooperative land trust housing developed by SquareOne Villages, which we call the Village Model, combines a housing co-op with a community land trust. In this hybrid ownership structure, SquareOne retains ownership of the underlying land, while the members of the co-op own (or sometimes lease) and manage the housing on the land.
A long-term ground lease ties the interests of both parties together, creating a partnership that helps to ensure the longer-term viability of the co-op. SquareOne is able to serve in an advisory role, providing support to the co-op in the form of technical assistance and training. And due to its sustained involvement in the project, SquareOne also serves as a “mission steward” during periods of leadership change and member turnover within the co-op.