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Somerville Community Land Trust hosted a forum last night to discuss their community land trust and ties to eviction. A number of interesting facts emerged. First, the city is in the unusual political position where elected officials are working to affiliate themselves with affordable housing preservation and development projects.  Usually, politicians try to distance themselves from local affordable housing efforts. Second, the Somerville Community Land Trust has completed its first new construction project and the units are now available.    The building at 7 Summer is less than 1/2 mile from the green line.   The one and two bedroom apartments start at $264,000 for a 2 bedroom.  While that might seem like quite a bit for an "affordable" condo, SCLT estimates that the total costs for new construction in Somerville are approximately $500,000 - $600,000 per unit.   Indeed, compare this to nearby and recently sold 33 Summer Street.   That 2-bedroom condo went for $650,000. There is some fine (and here I also mean fine, as in "of high quality") print worth…

A group of housing activists is doing something unprecedented (they believe in South Florida but perhaps anywhere). They have purchased a property in Miami and are recruiting residents to both live there cooperatively and do housing justice work. The plan is for residents to live cooperatively 24/7 and train to work 4 hours a week doing direct community outreach, host neighbors and events at the house and educate the community on Community Land Trust affordable housing through outreach and events.

Location and image of Salish Way Lopez Island is so far north in the continental United States that when you are there your cell phone is likely to generate international charges. But that proximity to all things Canadian may have something to do with the dedication and success of Lopez Community Land Trust that's been developing affordable housing, sustainable agriculture, and other rural development programs since 1989. Recently the Land Trust received the Built Green Hammer Project of the Year award for Salish Way, a housing neighborhood completed in 2021. Among other things, Salish Way homes achieved 30% energy use improvement above current WA State Code.