Come to Portland for CLT Events

May 6 - 9, 2013

Spring in Portland and a week of CLT events you will not want to miss:

• May 6 - May 8: NeighborWorks Training Institute - discounts for CLT courses!
• May 7: National CLT Network Reception
• May 8 - May 9: Northwest CLT Coalition Gathering

Scholarships available to members!

Details can be found here.  

Update From Our Executive Director

Network Board Holds Planning Retreat

I am pleased to report that the National CLT Network Board of Directors and staff recently completed a very productive retreat at Sawmill Community Land Trust in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The schedule was packed with discussions on a variety of topics and by the end of the 2-day retreat the board:

1. Approved a set of strategic priorities for 2013 along with a work plan and budget;
2. Committed itself to grow the permanently affordable housing sector; and
3. Reaffirmed its commitment to serving our membership-watch for more news on this coming soon!

The 2013 work plan is both ambitious and exciting and the staff and board look forward to sharing our accomplishments with you as the year progresses. Here's just a little of what you can expect to hear about in the coming months:

1. A member vote on a new and reduced dues structure and our annual membership meeting conducted virtually for the first time.
2. Renewed efforts to secure a waiver from FHA-insured mortgages to make selling your homes easier.
3. Our redesigned and more functional website that is fully integrated with our new Salesforce platform.
4. A variety of training opportunities coming your way including options for online and in-person learning along with scholarships to NeighborWorks Training Institutes.
5. Our continuing research work, including webinars and reports on the role of CLTs in transit-oriented development, non-residential applications of CLTs, and equitable property taxation strategies.
6. A new searchable "Policy Hub" with examples of local, state, and federal policies that support permanently affordable homeownership.

The board spent considerable time during the retreat exploring the challenge of how to ensure that permanently affordable housing can achieve scale--how to get more units on the ground across the country. After much discussion, the board concluded that we need to break down the silos between CLTs and other shared equity programs and focus on the core elements common to us all. We need to see ourselves as part of a larger sector with common values and work collaboratively to improve the policy environment for permanently affordable housing. We have not fully defined all of the activities we need to undertake, but we do know that collaboration with other players is a must.

Please look for more news and updates in the coming months. And please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions, suggestions, or concerns.

Melora Hiller

Melora@CLTNetwork.org