International Center for Community Land Trusts

Scaling Housing Supply through Habitat for Humanity-CLT Partnerships
2025-12-10 15:00 - 16:30 UTC
Recording

Resources

Slideshow presentation

Full transcript

Webinar Description

The second webinar in the Lasting Affordability Webinar Series by Habitat for Humanity International will explore strategies for building strong, sustainable partnerships with Community Land Trusts (CLTs) to advance lasting affordability and housing preservation.

Drawing on lessons from Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s collaborations with Homes Within Reach, other CLT partners, and the broader coalition building work with the Minnesota Statewide CLT Coalition, this webinar examines key challenges: such as funding-driven participation, buyback limitations, the evolution of resale formula, and highlights successful approaches for scaling CLTs at a state level. Speakers from the Minnesota CLT Coalition, Homes Within Reach, and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity shared insights on partnerships with CLTs and Habitat affiliates, policy influence, and their coalition-building work.

Designed for Habitat affiliates, CLT partners, statewide coalitions, housing advocates, and policymakers, participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to engage CLTs, navigate funding ecosystems, and foster partnerships rooted in trust, flexibility, and long-term community impact.

Speakers and Panelists

Assan Sosseh, Lasting Affordability Program Manager, Habitat for Humanity International

ASSAN SOSSEH is a seasoned affordable housing professional currently serving as the Lasting Affordability Program Manager at Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). In this role, he leads initiatives aimed at increasing the adoption of lasting affordability homeownership models within the Habitat network. These models include strategies such as community land trusts, ground leases, and long-term deed restrictions, all designed to ensure that homes remain affordable for future generations.

Ben Post, VP, Strategy and Impact, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

BEN POST joined Twin Cities Habitat in 2018. Ben leads the Strategy team which is responsible for managing the organization’s strategic plan. Ben’s team also implements new, strategic initiatives designed to improve and increase Twin Cities Habitat’s impact. Ben earned his Bachelor’s degree from Bethel University and has worked in affordable housing for more than 20 years. His experience includes multi-family rental, ownership, lasting affordability and shared equity models, program delivery, and management.

Brenda Lano-Wolke, Executive Director, Homes Within Reach

BRENDA LANO-WOLKE is the Executive Director for Homes Within Reach.

Jeff Washbourne, Administrator, Minnesota Community Land Trust Coalition

JEFF WASHBOURNE is a Partner with Burlington Associates and is working with or has worked with over 50 community land trusts nationally. He transitioned away from the City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT) in 2023 after serving as the Director since its incorporation in November of 2002. Over the 20+ year tenure with the CLCLT the organization was able to assist over 490 low-income homeowners into the Community Land Trust homeownership with over 375 homes in trust. Through his tenure, the CLCLT grew to become the largest ownership Community Land Trust in MN and the 3rd largest nationally, creatively using the Community Land Trust in many groundbreaking ways. Over time, the CLCLT created and spun off a Commercial Land Trust, an Agricultural Land Trust and is currently working with partner organizations to establish the first African American Community Land Trust in the Twin Cities.

Prior to joining the CLCLT, he worked at Twin Cities Neighborhood Housing Services from 1997 – 2000 and 2001 – 2002, serving as the Executive Director the latter two years. Prior to his nonprofit housing experience, Jeff worked as a construction supervisor/trainer for a residential construction firm in South Korea, a YMCA Program Manager in New Mexico, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras. He holds an M.A. in Public Administration from Hamline University and a B.A. in Psychology from DePauw University. He’s gained certificates from the Harvard Kennedy School/NeighborWorks America Achieving Excellence and the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Leadership Programs. Over the past 25 years in Minneapolis, he has served on dozens of nonprofit boards in the community. He has lived in Minneapolis since 1997.

For work in Minnesota where Jeff had pre-existing relationships, he utilizes his own consulting LLC, Everlong Consulting. In this capacity he serves as the contract administrator for the MN CLT Coalition, supporting the 14 community land trusts in Minnesota with advocacy, policy, technical assistance, fundraising, and coalition building.

John Emmeus Davis, Board Member, Editor-in-Chief, International Center for CLTs; Terra Nostra Press

JOHN EMMEUS DAVIS is a city planner who has spent much of his 40-year career providing technical assistance to CLTs and documenting their history and performance. He coauthored the Lincoln Institute’s 2008 publication The City-CLT Partnership. He previously served as housing director in Burlington, Vermont, and was dean of the National CLT Academy. He is a partner at Burlington Associates in Community Development LLC, a national consulting cooperative. He is a founding board member of the International Center for CLTs and editor in chief of the center’s imprint, Terra Nostra Press.

CLTs as a Step Towards Decolonizing Our Relationships to Land
2025-11-25 13:30 - 15:00 UTC
Recordings

English Recording

Grabación en español

Webinar Resources

Slideshow presentation from Autumn Ness, Lahaina CLT

Slideshow presentation from Norm Leech, Downtown Eastside CLT

Slideshow presentation from Corrina Gould, Sogorea Te’ Land Trust

ENGLISH Transcript

Webinar Description

For thousands of years before the invasion and colonization of the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands, Indigenous peoples across these regions lived in deep relationships with the land, understanding it as sacred and shared. The imposition of private ownership, capitalism, and extractivism over the past five centuries has profoundly disrupted that relationship, disconnecting communities from the land and environment.

This webinar brought together representatives of Indigenous-led CLTs in the US and Canada to share how CLTs can serve as a step towards decolonizing our collective relationship to land, returning sacred land to Indigenous stewardship and resisting disaster capitalism.

Speakers and Panelists

Autumn Ness, Executive Director, Lahaina CLT (Hawai’i, US)

AUTUMN NESS serves as LCLT’s Executive Director, accountable to the past and future generations of Lahaina, nurturing the long-term vision of a community-owned land base that redefines homeownership and economic systems outside of extractive capitalism and more in accordance with ‘ike Hawai’i (the values and wisdom of this place). She has intimate experience with post-disaster displacement, and its permanent effects on environment and culture, after being displaced after the Japan tsunami and nuclear meltdown. As a settler on Maui since then, she has worked on land, water and agriculture justice issues from a systems change lens, working arm in arm with community to take those systems back in ways that build local power and collective well being. She previously served as Senior Affordable Housing Policy Advisor for Council Member Johnson, chair of Affordable Housing. They worked with Maui County Council to implement a progressive package of affordable housing bills that include the strongest anti-displacement policies in Hawaiʻi, and increased funding mechanisms for infrastructure and affordable housing. She is also the founder of the Maui Food Hub, a response to COVID that has now become vital and permanent farm-to-consumer infrastructure.

Corrina Gould, Co-Director, Sogorea Te’ Land Trust (California, US)

CORRINA GOULD (Tribal Chair for the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation) was born and raised in the village of Huichin, now known as Oakland, CA. She is the Co-Founder and Lead Organizer for Indian People Organizing for Change, a small Native run organization and the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, an urban Indigenous women-led organization within her ancestral territory. Through the practices of rematriation, cultural revitalization, and land restoration, the Land Trust calls on Native and non-Native peoples to heal and transform legacies of colonization, genocide, and to do the work our ancestors and future generations are calling us to do.

Norm Leech, President, Downtown Eastside CLT (Vancouver, Canada)

NORM LEECH is the President of the Downtown Eastside CLT (DTES CLT). DTES CLT is moving toward a more Indigenous relationship with land that is sustainable, responsible, and healing. This can help preserve affordable housing by sheltering property from the global market that is increasing housing costs around the globe.

Norm speaks widely on inter-generational trauma due to colonization. He grew up in East Vancouver, with ancestry in the T’it’q’et community of the St’at’imc nation where he has served as Chief and also Administrator. He draws on his experiences as a recovering alcoholic/ addict, inter-generational survivor, and spiritual explorer to inform his current work which includes several boards and committees.

Amber Khan, Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Washington

AMBER KHAN, PhD, MPH is an applied interdisciplinary disaster scholar focused on community-led solutions to the climate crisis, centering on community-led land use and policy, affordable housing, and preventing displacement and gentrification. In her current role as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Washington, she leads an international study with the International Center for CLTs on the application of CLTs in building climate and disaster resilience. In her role as a participatory action research fellow at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), she designs and conducts research on climate displacement, migration, and resettlement with Indigenous-led organizations.

Habitat for Humanity-CLT Partnerships for Lasting Affordability
2025-07-01 14:00 - 15:15 UTC
Webinar Description

What does it take to create housing that remains affordable across generations? Join the International Center for CLTs, Habitat for Humanity, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy for a dynamic conversation on the power of community land trusts (CLTs) as a tool to deliver lasting affordability through long-term stewardship. This webinar walks through the history of the CLT movement in the US, examine the current landscape of affordable housing preservation, and spotlight a new policy report on forming strong and equitable CLT partnerships.

Panelists offer practical insights into how CLTs function as stewards—protecting affordability at resale, supporting homeowners over time, and preserving the physical integrity of homes so they can serve multiple generations of families. With a long-standing history of collaboration, CLTs and Habitat for Humanity affiliates are natural partners in this work. Participants learn how CLT-Habitat partnerships have been successfully formed and scaled and what it truly takes—on the ground and behind the scenes—for communities to take collective control of land and housing.

Whether you’re a housing advocate, policymaker, staff/board member of Habitat for Humanity affiliates and CLTs, or a curious citizen, this session will provide both inspiration and grounded strategy for ensuring that affordability endures beyond a single sale, beyond a single homeowner—for generations to come.

Speakers and Panelists

John Emmeus Davis, Founding Board Member, International Center for Community Land Trusts; Editor-in-Chief, Terra Nostra Press

JOHN EMMEUS DAVIS is a co-founder of Burlington Associates in Community Development, a national consulting cooperative. John was on the staff of the Institute for Community Economics from 1981 to 1985 and later served for ten years as the housing director for the City of Burlington, Vermont. He co-authored the federal definition of a CLT that was enacted into US law in 1992.

Assan Sosseh, Lasting Affordability Program Manager, Habitat for Humanity International

ASSAN SOSSEH is a seasoned affordable housing professional currently serving as the Lasting Affordability Program Manager at Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). In this role, he leads initiatives aimed at increasing the adoption of lasting affordability homeownership models within the Habitat network. These models include strategies such as community land trusts, ground leases, and long-term deed restrictions, all designed to ensure that homes remain affordable for future generations.

Derby Swanson, Director of Homeowner and Community Services, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County

DERBY A SWANSON has a diverse professional background with extensive experience in community services, market research, and project management. Currently serving as the Director of Homeowner and Community Services at Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County since September 2022, Derby previously held roles such as Community Impact Manager and Worship Administrator at Trinity Church in the City of Boston. Derby A. Swanson operated an independent consulting practice focused on research methodologies from 2011 to June 2016 and has also held significant positions at Sentient Decision Science, Applied Marketing Science, and the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, contributing to various strategic and management initiatives. Academic qualifications include an MBA in Market Research from the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, a Master of Divinity in Theology from Andover Newton Theological School, and a Bachelor of Science in Theatre from Northwestern University.

Matina Kauffman, Vice President of Homeownership and Neighborhood Programs, Habitat for Humanity Portland Region

MATINA KAUFFMAN is the Vice President of Homeownership and Neighborhood Programs with Habitat for Humanity Portland Region. She has been with the affiliate for 18 years and was instrumental in their transition to permanent affordability through a partnership with the local community land trust, Proud Ground. She has been a strong supporter of expanding shared equity models across the Habitat network and sharing best practices. She helped develop a resource center on lasting affordability for affiliates through a Fellowship with Habitat for Humanity for Humanity International.

Megan McDonough, Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity

MEGAN MCDONOUGH has been the Executive Director of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity since 2014. Megan has been working with Habitat to refine the model of small, ecological, homeownership – asking the question, what’s “big enough” to contain the dream of homeownership? Prior to her work with Habitat Megan spent 7 years at the Center for Ecotechnology providing support for green building certification programs like LEED for Homes and ENERGY STAR Homes. She has a master’s degree in regional planning from UMass Amherst and lives with her family in a near zero net energy home in the western Mass hilltowns.

Devika Goetschius, Executive Director, Housing Land Trust of the North Bay

DEVIKA “DEV” GOETSCHIUS is a nationally recognized leader in community land trusts and permanently affordable homeownership, with over two decades of experience in equitable housing development. As Executive Director of the Housing Land Trust of Sonoma County and a partner at Burlington Associates in Community Development, Dev has helped launch and support dozens of shared equity housing programs across the US. She also serves on the boards of Generation Housing and International Center for Community Land Trusts, and is a trusted advisor to local governments, nonprofits, and Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Fluent in Spanish, Hindi, and Sindhi, Dev brings a community-centered, multilingual approach to her work, grounded in a commitment to long-term affordability and housing justice.

Panel Discussion on Stewarding the Future: Youth Power and Leadership in Community Land Trust Practice
2024-12-04 12:00 - 13:15 (America/New_York)
Webinar Resources

Slide Decks

Ashley Allen, PhD, Houston CLT, Executive Director

Carlos Sanchez-Gonzales, South Baltimore CLT, Youth Outreach Specialist

Jason Webb, Grounded Solutions Network, Community and Technical Assistance Principal

Webinar Description

On 4 December 2024, we held a panel discussion with a short Q&A on youth engagement and leadership within community land trusts. Core to the CLT mission is the stewardship of community assets for both present and future generations. Responding to today’s pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges—particularly those posed by climate change—requires listening to, and raising up, the voices of those who will be most affected: our youth. Engaging young people in community-owned land and housing will be crucial for building sustainable communities and advancing the stewardship mission of CLTs. This webinar was an engaging conversation with CLT practitioners and two youth leaders. Together, we explored questions such as:

How are CLTs involving youth representatives in decision-making?

How are the concerns of youth members of CLTs shaping CLT practice?

How can we better engage youth and highlight their role in shaping the future of communities?

Panelists

Ashley Allen serves as the Executive Director of the Houston Community Land Trust. She brings to the role non-profit leadership and program development experience in the areas of education, S.T.E. M.,workforce development and affordable housing. As a community organizer for over 10 years, she helped develop and drive campaigns for improved homeless services, affordable housing policy, and education in Chicago, IL.Ashley served as a consultant with the Barack Obama Foundation where she was responsible for the planning and implementation of the foundation’s initiative to develop the next generation of community organizers and advocates.Ashley’s experience as a homeless youth is what ignited her passion to help increase housing accessibility and affordability for those that need it most. She serves on the Board of The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County and is a member of the Houston Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. Ashley holds a B.S. in Food Science from Florida A&M University, an M.P.A from Governors State University and a Ph.D. in Cultural and Educational Policy with a concentration in Sociology from Loyola University Chicago.

Carlos Sanchez-Gonzales is a youth leader and South Baltimore resident who works with South Baltimore Community Land Trust. In his work, he focuses on citywide outreach and education to connect more residents with the movement to create community-owned developmentAs a student at Benjamin Franklin HS in Curtis Bay, Carlos started learning from environmental justice leaders who founded Free Your Voice. Carlos acted on these lessons by helping to develop Baltimore’s first citywide Zero Waste Plan and advocating for new funding for permanently affordable community owned development. Now, Carlos continues to advance environmental justice through research and action while expanding our outreach to the next generation of youth leaders.

Jason Webb is a Community and Technical Assistance Principal at Grounded Solutions Network. He has close to 40 years of experience in community organizing and revitalization. He was instrumental in the revitalization of a community in Roxbury, Massachusetts, called “Dudley Street,” as highlighted in the award-winning documentaries Holding Ground and Gaining Ground and in the book Streets of Hope. As the 9ason oversees training and technical assistance for cities, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. He assists with exploring, adopting, and implementing housing policies and programs with lasting affordability that advance racial equity and inclusion. Jason has developed essential tools that have helped hundreds of groups learn about the community land trust model, such as the “Community Land Trust Start-up Hub”. Jason served as Co-Chair of the staff committee for racial equity and inclusion from 2020 to 2023. Before coming to Grounded Solutions, Jason worked for 15 years for Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) and Network Member Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI). He served in several capacities, including Director of Real Estate and Technology, Director of DNI “The Community Land Trust,” and Director of Administration and Finance. Jason oversaw the development of several community land trust developments and created a youth development/youth jobs program called CommunityScapes.A Massachusetts native, Jason attended Boston University School of Management. Jason currently resides in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he and his family enjoy the harbor city that is known for its fishing and whaling industry.

Panel Discussion on Using CLTs to Deliver Energy Renovation and Permanent Affordability to Existing Housing
2024-10-23 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Webinar Recording

Transcript in English and French

Webinar Description

As a follow up to the September webinar, we gathered previous webinar presenters for an hour-long panel discussion where we continued to build on the previous month’s case studies working with non-CLT homeowners to upgrade their homes and stabilize their tenure while bringing them into the community land trust. In the last webinar, we saw presentations from Virginie Schoëff (CLTB) and Jeanne Mosseray (VUB) regarding the Upcycling Trust Partnership—a collaboration between five European CLTs and local authorities—and Staci Horwitz regarding Project Sustained Legacy from the City of Lakes CLT in Minneapolis. This discussion provided insights and actionable takeaways on how CLTs are approaching working with, educating, and organizing with non-CLT homeowners to stabilize tenure, bring circular and sustainable upgrades to their homes, while bringing them into a CLT.

Panelists

Jeanne Mosseray, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Cosmopolis Centre for Urban Research, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Jeanne was trained as an anthropologist and pursued studies in Urbanism and Strategic Planning. Now, as an “urbanist-anthropologist”, she is combining socio-spatial urban research and urban design. Her main research focus is on housing, social housing neighborhoods and the residents’ inclusion in the city through urbanism.

Staci Horwitz, Operations Director, City of Lakes Community Land Trust

Staci Horwitz is the Operations Director at City of Lakes CLT, where she oversees homeownership programs and property development projects. She joined CLCLT in 2006 and has a diverse background, including roles as a software firm president, grant writing consultant, youth specialist, and medical sales consultant. Staci’s expertise spans nonprofit administration, program development, financial management, and community land trust stewardship. She has also facilitated workshops for NeighborWorks® America and Grounded Solutions Network. Staci holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dietetics from the College of St. Scholastica and resides in North Minneapolis.

Geert De Pauw, Coordinator, Community Land Trust Brussels; Board Co-President, International Center for Community Land Trusts

Geert De Pauw has been active for more than 20 years for the right to housing in Brussels, as an activist and community worker. In 2008, following a study visit to the Champlain Housing Trust, he started advocating for the establishment of a Community Land Trust in Brussels. He coordinated the feasibility study, on behalf of the Brussels Capital Region, for the establishment of a CLT. Since the official establishment of Community Land Trust Brussels in 2013, he has acted as coordinator of the association. From there he co-founded the European CLT partnership SHICC (Sustainable Housing for Cohesive Communities), which sets itself the goal of building a powerful CLT sector in Europe.

Using CLTs to Deliver Energy Renovation and Permanent Affordability to Existing Housing
2024-09-25 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Presentation Recordings

Jeanne Mosseray, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (14 minutes – Français):

Staci Horwitz, City of Lakes Community Land Trust (13 minutes – English):

Virginie Schoëff, Community Land Trust Brussels (19 minutes – Français):

Presentation Slides

Jeanne Mosseray, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Staci Horwitz, City of Lakes Community Land Trust

Virginie Schoëff, Community Land Trust Brussels

Presentation Transcripts in English and French

Jeanne Mosseray, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Staci Horwitz, City of Lakes Community Land Trust

Virginie Schoëff, Community Land Trust Brussels

Blog Posts

Introduction to Using CLTs to Deliver Energy Renovation and Permanent Affordability to Existing Housing, by Rich Kruger Delgado, Education and Outreach Manager, International Center for Community Land Trusts

Can CLTs Play a Role in Climate Policy?, byGeert De Pauw, Coordinator, Community Land Trust Brussels and Co-President, International Center for Community Land Trusts

Supporting the Upcycling Trust Project: A Researcher’s Perspective, by Jeanne Mosseray, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Webinar Description

Facing the twin challenges of producing more affordable housing and addressing climate change, cities across the world are caught between the need for producing more housing while protecting existing open space and decarbonizing the built environment. By linking sustainability in the built environment to the creation of permanently affordable housing, CLTs can simultaneously respond to the housing and climate crisis in ways that ensure justice and equity.

This 75 minute webinar will highlight innovative CLT approaches to deliver just and equitable solutions that respond to these challenges by featuring two exemplary CLT initiatives from Europe and the United States: The Upcycling Trust, a partnership between five European CLTs and local municipal authorities in France; and the Sustained Legacy Project from City of Lakes CLT in the city of Minneapolis, MN. The Upcycling Trust partnership works at delivering sustainable housing renovations while bringing existing housing into community ownership. The Sustained Legacy Project from City of Lakes CLT uses the CLT as a way to assist low-income elderly homeowners facing significant housing rehabilitation challenges while deeding the land to the CLT. Our presenters will provide overviews of their respective projects, while addressing the specific challenges they face and the strategies they employ to overcome these obstacles, providing valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers alike. After the presentations, there will also be a short Q&A to give you the opportunity to ask questions to our panelists.

Presenters

Jeanne Mosseray, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Cosmopolis Centre for Urban Research, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Jeanne was trained as an anthropologist and pursued studies in Urbanism and Strategic Planning. Now, as an “urbanist-anthropologist”, she is combining socio-spatial urban research and urban design. Her main research focus is on housing, social housing neighborhoods and the residents’ inclusion in the city through urbanism.

Staci Horwitz, Operations Director, City of Lakes Community Land Trust

Staci Horwitz is the Operations Director at City of Lakes CLT, where she oversees homeownership programs and property development projects. She joined CLCLT in 2006 and has a diverse background, including roles as a software firm president, grant writing consultant, youth specialist, and medical sales consultant. Staci’s expertise spans nonprofit administration, program development, financial management, and community land trust stewardship. She has also facilitated workshops for NeighborWorks® America and Grounded Solutions Network. Staci holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dietetics from the College of St. Scholastica and resides in North Minneapolis.

Virginia Schoëff, Project Manager for Sustainable and Inclusive Renovation, Community Land Trust Brussels

Virginie Shoeff is the Project Manager for Sustainable and Inclusive Renovation at CLTB. Virginie is an architect by training. From 2004 to 2011, she was responsible for the co-creation of the “Ateliers Mommens,” the first social artist residence in Brussels. After that, she specialized in ecological renovation and supporting self-renovation. After a career as an independent architect, she has been working since 2023 for Community Land Trust Brussels, where she is responsible for an action research on the use of the CLT model to help homeowners with modest incomes in the energy renovation of their homes.
