Central Missouri Community Action is hosting a virtual presentation focused on community land trusts at 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
Randy Cole, director of the Columbia Community Land Trust, will discuss the potential benefits a community land trust can have on the community.
CMCA's Safe and Affordable Housing Task Force wanted to bring attention to the subject and provide a forum for answering specific questions about implementing a community land trust in Callaway County.
Cole spoke with city leaders and bankers last year during a similar presentation.
Community land trusts provide affordable housing by creating a permanent supply of affordable homes for low-income households. This is done by separating ownership of the land from physical structures through 99-year ground leases.
Typically, an organization acquires a piece of land and builds a house to sell to someone in need. But the organization retains ownership of the land the house sits on. The deal ensures the house will remain affordable for the next buyer.
The Columbia Community Land Trust has built and sold eight owner-occupied homes since 2016 and is currently working on developing more areas. To qualify to buy one of the CCLT homes, a buyer must meet income limits - $62,300 for a four-person household or $43,650 for a one person household.
Central Missouri Community Action in Callaway County developed the Safe and Affordable Housing Task Force more than two years ago after identifying affordable housing as a top priority of community leaders and residents.
"Two years ago, the task force identified education, advocacy and development as strategies to increase safe and affordable housing in Callaway County," CMCA community organizer Kellie Pontius said in an email.
Since then, the group has hosted tenant and landlord forums and home expos, while advocating for city improvements such as rental inspections and new affordable development.
"The task force has focused on education and advocacy efforts these past couple of years that we are ready to focus on development," Pontius said.
To participate in the virtual presentation, email [email protected].