In Oakland, a community land trust helped Hasta Muerte, a local cafe, avoid eviction. All over the country, community land trusts are helping communities of color keep their affordable housing.

A community land trust is helping people in the Keys find another home, after Hurricane Irma ravished the area. “Four cottages are expected to wrap construction this fall, with another five finished by early 2019.” The arrangement was made possible after two friends got together and formed the Florida Keys Community Land Trust, secured land from the county, and raised $1 million to build affordable disaster housing.

In the face of gentrification in their South Bronx neighborhood, Mott Haven, residents responded by creating the Mott Haven Port Morris Community Land Trust. Inspired by the Cooper Square Committee land trust, Mott Haven’s land trust wants to be responsible for the area’s affordable housing, and it also hopes to facilitate community-building.

Eleanor Lee is one of many women leading the charge to restore the Granby neighborhood in Liverpool. The few households that remained inhabited after the neighborhood was forgotten came together and formed a community land trust. This major step allowed them to get private development funding. Now, the Granby area is offering affordable housing and attracting business back to Liverpool.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a series of community-led cooperatives are creating opportunities for affordable home ownership. This is part of a trend across the country to create community land trusts. They are financed through donations, other community businesses, or commissions. Though each land trust faces hurdles, they are collectively allowing more access to wealth and ownership in historically low-income neighborhoods.