The community land trust model was largely used in rural communities until the 1980s, when Cincinnati became the first city to have a land trust operate in an urban neighborhood.
In 1984, Senator Sanders, who was then the mayor of Burlington, created one to help address his city’s housing crisis.
In 2020, the East Harlem El Barrio community land trust bought four apartment buildings that had fallen into disrepair from the city for one dollar each.
Around the country, activists have also used community land trusts in nontraditional ways.
Steve King, the executive director of the Oakland Community Land Trust, said California has seen its number of land trusts double in the last few years.
Persons:
Sanders, Athena Bernkopf, West, Steve King
Organizations:
Cincinnati, East Harlem El, Preservation, East, Land Trust
Locations:
Burlington, New York, East Harlem El Barrio, East Harlem, Leimert, Los Angeles, Mr, Oakland, California