About us
LOGO DESIGN: LISAROTHGRAFIX.COM | ARTWORK: SHERYL S.
MISSION & VALUES
Our mission:
We create permanently affordable, resident-run housing cooperatives.
Our vision:
These cooperative communities benefit workers, families, students, seniors, disabled, low and middle income folks from diverse backgrounds — now and forever.
We believe ...
LAND USE SHOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY
A land's value is derived from the surrounding community. Thus, it should benefit and sustain the whole community, not merely private parties. The land trust is a steward of the land and the co-op communities on that land.
DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING
BACLT and its partner cooperatives are run democratically by their memberships; community and resident control are central to the land trust and co-op housing models.
PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Housing is a human right. Community ownership of the land keeps housing from being sold or rented to the highest bidder and keeps it affordable for future generations.
SHARING RESOURCES
Shared amenities (laundries, gardens, vehicles, tools and libraries) and pooled purchasing lower costs for everyone.
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES
Co-ops must be open and welcoming to everyone. We aim for multi-generational diversity in cultures and incomes and to balance individual privacy with community relationships and voluntary resource sharing.
GREEN BUILDING AND LIVING
Sustainable urban living through re-use of materials, shared common spaces and gardens, alternative energy sources, recycling, composting, resource conservation.
OUR HISTORY
Bay Area Community Land Trust (BACLT) is a democratic community organization whose mission is to create permanently affordable and sustainable communities of cooperative homeowners, to take land and housing out of the speculative market and to stabilize our neighborhoods.
We currently have several affiliated housing co-ops in Berkeley and Oakland and more coming soon.
These co-ops have nearly 50 residents, including working families, seniors, people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQ.
WHO WE ARE
A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a community-based membership non-profit housing organization run by an elected Board made up of people who live in land trust-sponsored housing, the broader community, and people with technical skills to keep the CLT in good working order. In our model, our CLT:
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buys properties to preserve housing affordability.
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owns the land, but sells the buildings below market rate (because land isn't included) to residents who own, manage, and maintain them.
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gives 99-land lease to co-op.
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restricts ownership to low-income residents who could not otherwise own their homes.
OUR BOARD & STAFF:
33% RESIDENT GOVERNED
As a non-profit membership organization run by an elected Board of Directors and managed by an Executive Director and staff members, our model adopts the classic tri-partite division, which ensures greater democratic involvement of regular people rather than a professionalized board.
As a result our board is roughly 1/3 residents of BACLT-owned properties, 1/3 local community members, and 1/3 experts in city administration, law and finance.
TECH EXPERT, PRESIDENT
BETH YOUHN
TECH EXPERT, VICE PRESIDENT
STEPHEN BARTON
TECH EXPERT
CHRIS BAILEY
RESIDENT
WALTER HARDZOG
COMMUNITY PARTNER
AJA FASAH
RESIDENT, EXEC DIRECTOR
RICK LEWIS
TECH EXPERT, SECRETARY
MARIE WHIDDEN
COMMUNITY, TREASURER
MARY LUCAS MCDONALD
RESIDENT
MARCIA CAINE EDELEN
RESIDENT
REGINA MOUTON
COMMUNITY PARTNER
MIKE JONES
PROGRAM MANAGER
SAKI BAILEY
OUR BOARD & STAFF:
33% RESIDENT GOVERNED
As a non-profit membership organization run by an elected Board of Directors and managed by an Executive Director and staff members, our model adopts the classic tri-partite division, which ensures greater democratic involvement of regular people over a professionalized board.
As a result our board is roughly 1/3 residents of BACLT-owned properties, 1/3 local community members, and 1/3 experts in topics essential to our work.
Right now, we're hiring a Policy & Communications Director! Please see our job announcement for details and information on how to apply.
PRESIDENT &
LAW & POLICY EXPERT
SAKI BAILEY
VICE PRESIDENT & FORMER BERKELEY HOUSING DIRECTOR
STEPHEN BARTON
TREASURER &
COMMUNITY PARTNER
MARY LUCAS MCDONALD
RESIDENT
LAYEL CAMARGO
DEVELOPMENT EXPERT
BONNIE CURETON
RESIDENT
REGINA MOUTON
RESIDENT, ALTERNATE
WALTER HARDZOG
= RESIDENT
= COMMUNITY PARTNER
= TECHNICAL EXPERT

THE ISSUES
The challenges ...
REAL ESTATE INVESTORS TAKE PUBLICLY CREATED LAND VALUE FOR PRIVATE PROFIT
Control of land and housing in our current economic system is deeply unfair. The people of the Bay Area make it a desirable place to live by providing essential government services, by creating a diverse and creative culture, and by supporting industries that grow and employ more people.
Real estate investors charge admission in the form of higher rents and sales prices. Thus, rents in the Bay Area are 50% of the U.S. average, and most people cannot afford to buy.
Rising rents generate windfall profits for real estate investors, push long-time residents out of the community, destabilize our communities and increase homelessness. Investors charge higher prices based on the land value created by the public. The public should take land out of the for-profit market and ensure it will be used for public benefit.
The solutions ...
OWNERSHIP BY A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TAKES LAND OUT OF THE FOR-PROFIT MARKET AND KEEPS HOUSING AFFORDABLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
BACLT and its partner cooperatives are run democratically by their memberships; community and resident control are central to the land trust and co-op housing models.
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IS IN DECLINE
People have less chance than ever to join together in making decisions that affect their daily lives. The 1% have made government more responsive to money than to voters. It’s not enough to just create affordable housing. We need to find ways for people to experience democracy in their daily lives.
PATHWAYS TO OWNERSHIP FOR ALL
Our democratic model of a Community Land Trust creates resident controlled housing affiliated with a community land trust that is jointly controlled by residents and community members.
CO-OPS GET OVERSIGHT, TRAINING, & SUPPORT
Residents acquire the knowledge and experience necessary to responsibly manage and improve their housing.
4.
Our proven 6-step model ...
1.
WE HELP YOU BUY IT, FIX IT, MAKE IT AFFORDABLE
We get local government subsidies, low-interest loans, down-payments from residients who can afford them, and sometimes below-market sales from community-minded owners.
WE ORGANIZE HOUSING CO-OPS
We help and train residents to take ownership and democratic control over the buildings in which they live.
3.
CO-OPS ELECT MEMBERS TO OUR BOARD
Partner cooperatives elect their own residents to the BACLT governing board alongside community board members, to help direct our community development.
5.
WE PARTNER WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS
We work with broader social justice movements to pressure government at all levels to raise taxes on the wealthy and put more resources into our communities, including through greater support for CLTs and affordable housing co-ops
6.
WE OWN THE LAND, SO YOU KEEP IT AFFORDABLE
Through the Community Land Trust Model, we ensure partner co-ops will remain permanently affordable to current and future residents.
2.
WHAT'S A CO-OP?
A co-op or housing cooperative is a democratic, resident-controlled housing association that owns the buildings collectively — usually through an LLC (limited liability corporation) or an LEHC (limited equity housing cooperative).
The land beneath the buildings is owned by the CLT.
THE CO-OP ...
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can own different types of housing together, from single family homes to multi-unit buildings, and may utilize different types of ownership structures.
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with the support of a CLT, is a particularly strong and financially sustainable model for creating permanently affordable housing that lasts for generations.
VIDEO RESOURCES:
WHAT'S A CLT?
THE CLT ...
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is a non-profit entity that buys properties to preserve and create permanent affordability.
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is a democratic membership organization, governed by a Board of Directors elected by the members made up of at least 1/3rd residents.
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oowns the land while low-income residents own the buildings through a 99-land lease to the Co-op (see Co-ops).
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residents can build equity in their homes, but equity is limited to a reasonable rate of return similar to a Certificate of Deposit (1-2%) and resale is restricted to those of low income.
A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a community-based membership housing organization run by an elected Board.
The Board consists of residents in land trust-sponsored housing, the broader community, and technical experts to keep the CLT in good working order.