National Land Bank + CLT Map

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Discover where land banks, land banking programs, and CLTs are located across the U.S. and where they may have shared service areas.

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Working in concert, land banks and community land trusts (CLT) can unlock a pipeline of problem properties, providing quality affordable housing for current and future generations. Land banks can use their unique powers to acquire, stabilize, and transfer vacant properties to a community land trust which can use those properties to create lasting affordable homeownership opportunities. These entities have different yet complementary missions and, leveraging each other’s strengths, can support a more resilient and equitable recovery in neighborhoods across America.

Despite these potential partnership benefits, there are few examples of land banks and CLTs coordinating effectively and in a sustained manner. This map is intended to identify where land banks and CLTs may have shared service areas and might consider a partnership opportunity.

Map Terminology

  • Land bank or land banking program: Land banks are public entities with unique governmental powers, created pursuant to state-enabling legislation, that are solely focused on converting problem properties into productive use according to local community goals. A land bank can use the property tax and lien enforcement process to proactively acquire a property for substantially less than the amounts due on the property, extinguish past liens, hold property tax-exempt until it is sold, and transition that property to a purchaser for an end use that aligns with community priorities. More information on land banks and land banking programs »
  • Community land trust: Community land trusts are nonprofit organizations, governed by CLT residents and nonprofit and public representatives, that provide permanent community control of land and affordable housing. Many community land trusts also support permanent community control through commercial projects, open space creation and protection, and agricultural work, however, the focus for many community land trusts is affordable housing. For more information about community land trusts, visit centerforneweconomics.org (source data) or groundedsolutions.org. The CLTs listed on the map may represent traditional community land trusts or may represent shared equity programs that may not distinguish land from buildings in the way a community land trust does.
  • Potential shared service area: These are areas where land banks or land banking programs and CLTs may operate in the same geography. Having a shared service area may mean that partnership is possible. Importantly, this map only indicates the potential for a shared service area, further examination would be needed to determine if there is in fact a shared service area, which may be done by reaching out to the individual land banks or CLTs.

Map Terminology

  • CLTs: Data gathered from the Schumacher Center for a New Economics’ “Community Land Trust Directory.” Accessed on 8/13/21.
  • Land banks or Land banking programs: Center for Community Progress’ “Land Bank Map.” Accessed on 8/23/21.
  • Potential Shared Service Area: Center for Community Progress. Created 8/30/21.
  • S. States (Generalized): ESRI Living Atlas.
  • USA Freeway System: ESRI Living Atlas.