Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Permamently Affordable Housing

[Michael John Omogrosso (omo]

The housing discussions I see on this list and on Cohousing-L fall into a 
four part matrix--oversimplified, yes, but a basic pattern:  Urban, 
rural, shared resource, private ownership.   If we were to make a shield
representing our discussions the matrix of urban, rural, shared and
private would be akin it the four directions of indigenious shields and
much of the particulars like transportation, housing, food production,
conservancy and local jobs would be woven in the design.  Different levels of 
sustainablility permeate the discussions and I have found it all quite 
stimulating and something I have not actively dialogued on in quite some 
time.  Thanks.

The topic of community land trusts (CLTs) has been introducted on several 
occasions with an anticipation of heady discussion--at least as heady 
as my room temperature microbrew--yet little but a few private responses 
of peak interest have resulted.  If I made a shield representing my 
impression of CLTs, little would change beyond placing CLTs as a center 
piece.

The community land trust seems such a good fit to our sustainability and 
housing goals.  By removing the land from the speculative market place, a 
major market value appreciation piece is controlled.  Resulting 
impedments to increased taxes should be realized.  

Ownership of structures remains the same with a 99 year renewable and 
inheritable land lease except that if resale occurs, the resale is 
contingent on respect for the land trust covenant and only purchase cost 
plus improvements, basically, used to calculate the selling price.  It 
keeps owning a home affordable for a much broader range of society.

Finally, CLTs can apply to the full spectrum of economic, geographic and 
social housing paterns from CoHo to low-income apartment complexes.

Interested?