Community Homes Land Trust
Creating Affordable Homes for Today and Future Generations
The Community Homes Land Trust (CHLT) was founded in 2019 to create lasting opportunities for West Michigan families to purchase a home affordably. Rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, ICCF’s CHLT empowers first-time homebuyers to purchase move-in-ready homes without taking on excessive financial risks or competing with investors and cash buyers.
For over 60 years, Community Land Trusts across the country have worked to provide and preserve long-term housing affordability using a home and land ownership model like the CHLT’s. The premise of that model is that when CHLT homeowners purchase their homes, they agree to help keep the home affordable for the next buyer by limiting their future resale price. They will still make back their full investment, they just won’t “flip” the home for a gigantic profit. This ensures that the opportunity to buy a home at an affordable price is passed on to future generations!
Get Started with the Homebuyer Guide
The Community Homes Land Trust Homebuyer and Homeowner Guide is meant to assist neighbors as they evaluate if purchasing a CHLT home is right for them. The guide includes:
- CLT History
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Qualify for the CHLT program
- CHLT Mortgage Lender Partners
- Processes/policies for CHLT homeowners
Learn More + Get Qualified
Who is Eligible?
The CHLT was created to serve neighbors here in the West Michigan Area. Eligible home buyers need to:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a first-time homebuyer (using HUD’s definition)
- Meet the income guidelines
- Have a Pre-approval Letter
- Submit a Completion Certificate for a HUD Certified homebuyer education course (due before the final purchase)
Mortgage Partners
Our Homebuyer guide provides a list of our current mortgage partners with the best point of contact for CHLT buyers.. Interested buyers must be able to qualify for a 30-year mortgage – VA and FHA loans are unable to finance land trust homes.
Buyers wishing to work with a lender who is NOT on the CHLT mortgage partner list should share our lender guide with their mortgage provider.
How to Get Started
Take a HUD Certified Homebuyer Education Class
Before being able to officially purchase the home, buyers will need to complete a HUD Certified Homebuyer Education course and submit a completion certificate. ICCF offers a variety of class options and our counselors can make recommendations of other programs, as well.
Homebuyer Education ClassMeet with a Housing Counselor to Verify Income
Buyers who appear to meet income guidelines and eligibility requirements will be invited to submit the required documents and schedule an income verification meeting with a HUD Certified Housing Counselor. Meetings CANNOT be scheduled until all documents are received.
View List of Documents HereCheck Out Our CHLT Stories
ICCF CHLT | How It Works
Seymour Condos
Devetta's Story
Thank You to Our Board of Directors
The CHLT is an independent, nonprofit corporation with its own board of directors made up CHLT homeowners, community members and housing advocates, & representatives from ICCF Community Homes.
The CHLT Board meets on the first Thursday in February and August beginning at 5:30 pm.
Below are the current Board of Directors:
Andrew Hakken, ICCF | Dakota Riehl, ICCF | Davetta Blakely, CHLT Homeowner | Gretha Jackson, CHLT Homeowner | Jan van der Woerd, ICCF | Jon Ippel, Amplify GR | Nichole DeVries, ICCF | Sheryl Baas, ICCF | Jason Griffin, Legacy Homes GR
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