Martin County community members have come together to form The Martin County Community Land Trust.
We are a collaborative effort that brings together community leaders and local governments, including the City of Stuart and Martin County. Led by a volunteer board of directors, the Martin County Community Land Trust accepts donations of public and private lands and, using donated funds from the private sector, purchases land and houses in Martin County.
The Martin County Community Land Trust works with our clients, builders and other nonprofits to bring new housing units to our properties and then sells or leases the units at affordable prices.
We screen prospective buyers and renters to assure that affordable housing options are offered to people who need them most, families at 50% to 80% of the area’s median income that might otherwise not be able to afford a home in a safe neighborhood with amenities such as good schools.
Because the Martin County Community Land Trust continues to own the land, the community can be assured that affordable housing will remain affordable.
The high cost of buying and selling homes has created a housing crisis in communities across Florida – and here in Martin County.
The high cost of buying and selling homes has created a housing crisis in communities across Florida – and here in Martin County.
It invests funds to create long-term benefits for the community. Community Land Trusts ensure long-term affordability for renters and homeowners by separating ownership of the land from the structure on top of it.
A community develops a nonprofit organization called a Community Land Trust
The Land Trust creates a fund through grants, private invesments, and local government participation
It requires parcels of land that have been identified as appropriate for residential development
The Land Trust holds this land in perpetuity
The Land Trust may also provide subsidies for down payments and closing costs for qualified buyers in a way that is more efficient than traditional methods
Once a home is built on Land Trust land, the Land Trust leases the parcel of land to the homebuyer at a nominal cost. This reduces the overall cost of the housing and makes the monthly mortgage payment more affordable to low-income families
The Land Trust works with builders and nonprofit organizations committed to affordable housing to develop, finance and/or operate new housing units or renovated structures on the land it holds
Through the Martin County Community Land Trust, the public and private sectors come together in partnership to benefit the community for the long run. Working families will be able to access affordable housing, leading to greater stability, racial equity, economic mobility, and improved health outcomes.
