The Community Homes Land Trust

The Community Homes Land Trust (CHLT) of Grand Rapids exists to provide affordable home ownership opportunities to income-qualified families in West Michigan while ensuring the long-term affordability of these homes.

Established in 2019 by ICCF, the Community Homes Land Trust is an independent, non-profit corporation with a board of directors.

The CHLT utilizes the Community Land Trust Model to help create a legacy of affordable homes for our underserved neighbors. The CHLT provides access to recently renovated homes from our Community Homes Initiative for people who are otherwise priced out of the open market here in West Michigan. While the home will be purchased and owned by the new owner, the land under the home remains under the ownership of the CHLT and is leased to the new owner for a term of 89-years.

The benefit of the CHLT is that it ensures the home prices will stay affordable across generations. As a CHLT homeowner, you can still sell your home, but will simply need to use a resale formula when doing so. This resale formula allows you as homeowner to gain a fair return on your investment while also providing another affordable homeownership opportunity for a new low-income family. At the time of sale, you have the benefit of having equity and a possible small gain from the sale of the house.