DURHAM COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTEES INC

The mission of Durham Community Land Trustees (DCLT) is to build strong communities by developing, managing, and advocating for perpetually affordable housing that offers low- and moderate-income (LMI) Durham residents a stable foundation for achieving economic security. A community land trust is a nonprofit organization that retains the land on which its rental and homeownership properties are situated to ensure the affordability of housing in perpetuity. All of DCLT’s construction and rehabilitation projects are focused explicitly on equity and social justice because they take place in neighborhoods that were home to large percentages of people of Color before Durham’s red hot housing market led to waves of displacement. Conducting development without displacement and promoting equitable revitalization, DCLT works at the intersection of housing and environmental justice, climate resilience, wealth-building, and accessibility to provide opportunities for residents to remain in their formerly redlined neighborhoods.

Although there are dozens of nonprofits that work to increase the availability of affordable housing as well as others that operate emergency shelters or rapid rehousing programs for families and individuals experiencing homelessness, DCLT is the only Durham organization that retains land ownership to ensure permanent affordability of both rental and homeownership units. DCLT is Durham’s third largest provider of affordable housing—with the first being the Durham Housing Authority, which operates multiple public housing sites. All DCLT clients are LMI individuals or families, based on area median income (AMI). Prospective renters are required to document incomes at or below 60 percent AMI, and prospective homeowners need to document incomes at or below 80 percent AMI.

Launched in 1987 by neighbors coming together to address concerns about crime, properties in disrepair, and a growing percentage of absentee landlords, DCLT has grown. The organization grew from one donated house to offer permanently affordable rental and homeownership opportunities throughout the City of Durham. As a developer and licensed general contractor, DCLT has 37 years of experience in construction and property management—and a well-earned reputation for engaging with neighborhood residents to anticipate and respond to their needs.

Since its inception, DCLT has rehabilitated, built, or provided downpayment assistance for 57 units that provided home ownership opportunities to 85 families by recycling affordability from one buyer to the next. Concurrently, DCLT acquired or built a large portfolio of perpetually affordable rental units, most of which (243 out of 365 or 66 percent) are self-managed. Between 2005 and 2024, DCLT’s rental portfolio grew from 178 to 365--an increase of 105 percent.

With a vision of vibrant and diverse neighborhoods that retain and expand affordable housing and successfully resist the efforts of predatory developers, DCLT has demonstrated the critical importance of working in neighborhoods before they attract outside investors. DCLT has acquired properties across the City of Durham for more than three decades when others were hesitant to invest, particularly in neighborhoods closest to Durham’s urban core. As a result, DCLT now owns more than 155 properties that would not be affordable or available today.

With more than 7 innovative construction and renovation projects across the City of Durham, DCLT has plans to create 242 additional units of permanently affordable housing (130 rental and 112 homeownership) within the next 4 years. DCLT also continues to fulfill its mission by acquiring and preserving naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). Preserving NOAH units allows them to be brought into the DCLT portfolio and become permanently affordable. Moreover, DCLT’s urban in-fill development of vacant lots and rehabilitation of dilapidated structures amplify community revitalization efforts.