Community development
for us, by us
No doubt - New York is a cultural mecca.
Jazz and Hip Hop, two iconic art forms, were born and incubated here. Every year, millions visit or move here to reimagine themselves and their contributions to the world.
And yet, the very people who have made New York a cultural mecca - Black young adults aged 16 to 36 - are being left out of building wealth and assets.
There’s still hope.
We’re still here.
Let’s stay here.
The statistics are everywhere - historically Black neighborhoods in Brooklyn are rapidly losing their Black population due to gentrification and displacement.
However we believe that we can remain in and return to the communities we’ve loved and built.
GrowHouse is building a collectively-owned portfolio of real-estate, green space, cultural institutions, and worker-owned cooperatives that will form a cultural, ecological, and economic ecosystem in Black Brooklyn.
BLAC Land Trust is a Black-led, multiracial community land trust working to secure collective ownership of land across the historically Black Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bed-Stuy, Clinton Hill, Ocean Hill, Fort Greene, and Prospect Heights.
Your first step into the BLAC ecosystem is the Common/Wealth Curriculum - where you'll build the political education, relationships, and skills that make land stewardship possible.
Regenerating Black Brooklyn
We remove property from the speculative market*.
Then transfer ownership to our community.
We're working with a team of legal professionals and organizations around the country piloting collective ownership** models that are community-led.
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What if you could own real estate in your community at a price that feels right for you? It’s possible, together.
Many of our friends, collaborators, and neighbors have expressed the desire to collectively purchase real estate, however the process is time-consuming and daunting for already time-constrained individuals. We are building the framework for us all to enter.
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Black communities have been targeted by unscrupulous lenders and other get-rich-quick schemes. We focus on education, intergenerational relationships, and social repair.
This is a slower process, building culture and community that can handle the wealth we’re creating for future generations.
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We’re clear - the legacies of enslavement, colonization, and discrimination have been compounded by mass incarceration, unequal pay, and environmental racism, creating a racial wealth divide that will take many generations and focused effort to close.
Black communities need to build wealth to close the divide.
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We understand that closing the racial wealth divide can't be accomplished by Black people alone. We believe that most Brooklynites of all races and ethnicities want to live in anti-racist, equitable, inclusive, and flourishing communities filled with opportunity. They just need the tools to develop their communities with purpose and power.
With Black leadership, Brooklynites of all races can contribute their knowledge and resources to ensure justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
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Our current systems work by design, and so we can redesign them with love and liberation in mind.
According to scholar bell hooks, love is an action that involves extending yourself to nurture your spiritual growth and the spiritual growth of those we love.
Implicit in this definition is designing and creating a culture that centers our healing.
What we mean by…
*Speculative Market: A system where land and housing are bought and sold primarily for profit, driving up prices and pushing out long-standing community members.
**Collective Ownership Models: Structures like community land trusts (CLTs) and housing cooperatives where residents and community stakeholders democratically govern the land and ensure its use reflects shared values.
* Our Model
* The BLAC Ecosystem
* Our Model * The BLAC Ecosystem
The BLAC CLT stabilizes
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The BLAC builds wealth
So what is a CLT?
A Community Land Trust is a community-led nonprofit corporation designed to collectively own and steward land for community benefit.
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The community defined by a CLT takes different shapes - geography/place, culture, heritage, government, professions, interests, identities, and more…
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In a CLT model, affordability is key and so the land is separated from any buildings on top of it. The buildings are held in a 99-year, renewable lease and there are strict resale limits to prevent the rampant speculation that destabilizes communities.
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Both a word that embodies safety and also the legal structure of the CLT - trust that affordability is preserved is embedded in a CLT’s bylaws. Plus the CLT’s board is representative of and accountable to the community it serves.
Community Ownership
The CLT owns the land and ensures it is used in ways that benefit the community, while the buildings or other improvements on the land are community-owned under a 99-year, renewable ground lease.
Community Leadership
A CLT Board is divided into 3 parts:
Residents of the CLT’s buildings and land
Members of the larger community
Technical assistance providers: housing experts, public officials, architects, etc.
This board governs the CLT so that residents are in control of what happens in their community.
Get Involved
Subscribe to receive updates on upcoming information sessions and opportunities to participate in our collective ownership initiatives.
