What is a Community Land Trust, and how can this type of organisation help revitalise high street property? In this short Q&A, community-led housing expert Levent Kerimol explains.

As the UK faces the cost of living crisis and the impacts of a housing crisis, ensuring long-term affordability of property is key. Tying the cost of property to local income is essential to making property more accessible to communities. The question is, how?

This is where Community Land Trusts come in.

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) can provide new ways to own and manage assets for the benefit of the local community. Anyone can become a member and can have a role in running a CLT. CLTs leverage the power of communities to buy buildings from town centres and manage assets in line with the ambitions of members and the wider local community. By owning and managing multiple high street properties, they can effectively curate the high street.

“Anyone can become a member and have a democratic role in running the organisation.”

Levent Kerimol

In this Q&A, Levent Kerimol answers three quick questions on Community Land Trusts and provides some inspiring examples of CLTs in action around the UK:

  1. What is a Community Land Trust?
  2. What role can CLTs play in the recovery of our high streets?
  3. What’s an example of a CLT operating on or near a high street?

About the expert

Levent Kerimol is Director of Community Led Housing London, supporting community groups from the early stages of their projects and working with boroughs and others to create opportunities for community ownership and development.

Levent was previously at the GLA, leading on Places of Work and establishing the Small Sites x Small Builders programme. He contributed to the London Plan on housing design and industrial land, and managed a number of masterplans and public realm projects. Levent also supported Lewisham Council on the early stages of the ambitious RUSS CLT project.

Levent studied Architecture and Real Estate and has taught Design and Planning at Masters level.

Expert

  • Levent Kerimol, Community Led Housing London

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