Community land trusts create affordable housing for Indigenous Peoples

Community land trusts are locally driven, grassroots solutions that benefit the community in the long-term. Land trusts make more land available for affordable housing development or preservation.

Housing becomes a community asset under the community land trust model

Community land trusts are making inroads in creating more affordable housing for Indigenous Peoples. These are mostly Indigenous led, owned and designed. They build or preserve culturally appropriate housing that puts people first.

Residents and the community can build equity while living in their home through shared-equity approach. Price growth is controlled through mechanisms such as sales restrictions.

This means that housing is affordable now — and for future generations.

Making a difference: Community land trusts are creating more long-term affordable housing

The National Housing Demonstrations Initiative recently funded activities to lay the groundwork for community land trusts for Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

• The Northern Community Land Trust Society will add about 30 units of permanent affordable ownership housing to the community

  This project will demonstrate how a community land trust can help meet the need for affordable housing in Whitehorse. It builds strong partnerships with Indigenous governments.

  Homeowners will build equity in their homes, while also having secure housing. The homes will remain long-term community assets, with permanent affordability through limits on resale values.

• The Calgary Urban Indigenous Community Land Trust Development will help fill the gap of limited stock of culturally relevant affordable housing options for urban Indigenous Peoples in Calgary

  This project will identify and develop a localized Indigenous land trust model. The model will be co-designed with the community — including Indigenous Elders and urban Indigenous community stakeholders.

• The Temiskaming District Community Land Trust project will create an Indigenous women-led land trust in the Districts of Temiskaming and Cochrane.

  This community land trust will be a local, grassroots solution for creating affordable housing for Indigenous Peoples in Northern Ontario. The affordable housing created will be Indigenous led, owned and Indigenous designed. It will also be safe, secure and culturally appropriate.