Gentrification
Gentrification is the process of changing a neighborhood by creating more affluent neighborhoods. The process often increases the value of a neighborhood by developing or changing housing, improving resources that are available in the neighborhood, and investing more money and economic strength into the neighborhood. The benefits of gentrification often include increased infrastructure, increased economic development, lower crime rates, and overall improved housing. However, the downsides of gentrification include changing the economic make-up of a neighborhood which often includes the racial and ethnic make-up, displacement of individuals or families, and the lack of affordability that gentrification initiates.
Community Land Trusts
A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a model to create affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial spaces or other community assets. The CLT model was created in the United States by Robert Swann in 1969 as a means for African American farmers to gain access to farmland and to be able to work the land securely. Although there were other models similar to the Community Land Trust, Robert Swann ultimately wanted the community to be a significant piece of the corporation bylaws and ownership. The community holds the land in trust creating long-term opportunities economically and residentially. The CLT model began to take off in the 1990s and continues to thrive in the United States today. Structured as a nonprofit corporation, many CLTs throughout the US focus on affordable housing. The Board of Directors for the nonprofit often includes residents of the CLT to maintain a resident voice. By owning the land, the CLT is able to sell the house to an individual with low or moderate income at an affordable rate as the owner is only buying the house and not the land below. The land trusts often have a land lease to the homeowner for 99 years which is renewable. If the homeowner wants to sell, they agree to sell the home at a restricted price so that the house remains affordable to the future owner. In the United States, there are over 225 Community Land Trusts ensuring affordable homeownership for individuals.
In Chandler, the Community Land Trust is maintained by Newtown Community Development Corporation. As the largest CLT in Arizona, Newtown has over 140 homes in Chandler, Glendale, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Of the 140 homes, 68 are in Chandler. In order to continue the expansion of the Community Land Trust, Newtown uses Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds and HOME Partnership Program funds to purchase new homes to add to the trust. Those homes are then sold to individuals who are low and moderate income and join the program. Newtown signs a 99 year renewable lease with the homeowner which requires that the home is owner occupied and that Newtown has the right of first refusal if the homeowner decides to sell. In addition, the homeowner agrees to resale restrictions that keep the home affordable in the land trust.
Data Sources
The data used for the analysis comes from the Census Longitudinal Tabulated Database 2000 and 2010 as well as the metadata and Chandler’s Community Land Trust data.