Sample Land Bank Long-Term Housing Affordability Disposition Policy

In recent years, land banks have increasingly partnered with community land trusts and other organizations that develop and maintain safe, affordable housing and that seek to mitigate displacement of existing neighborhood residents.

In the face of rapidly heating real estate markets and affordable housing development and capacity challenges in nearly every corner of the country, programs and policies that seek to protect long-term affordability, for both homeowners and renters, are of primary concern. The Sample Land Bank Long-Term Housing Affordability Disposition Policy is a resource for land banks and their affordable housing partners. It is designed to offer a place to start—a framework that illuminates key questions for land banks to consider as they develop disposition policies that incentivize and support long-term affordable housing development, through both shared equity homeownership models and affordable rental developments.

Appropriate responses to these key questions are often dependent on hyperlocal considerations like land bank and partner capacity and focus areas, available resources, neighborhood level market dynamics, and local and state policy and regulatory environments. However, this sample policy assumes from the outset a commitment demonstrated by land banks around the country: the disposition of land in service of safe, quality, and long-term affordable housing.

This resource was developed by the Center for Community Progress in collaboration with Grounded Solutions Network. This sample document and the key questions contained herein do not constitute legal advice. Utilization of this sample to prepare a similar policy in a given jurisdiction will implicate various aspects of state and local law, and this and any corresponding policies are subject to the advice and guidance of local counsel.