Homestead Community Land Trust News

Local & Regional Community Land Trust Movement Growing

By Sheldon Cooper

The sun has returned, days are longer, warm breezes blow. Tulips are up, my grass needs mowing, nature is bursting and growing.  It must be spring!

I recently returned from the Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition’s spring gathering in Corbett, Oregon.  Fifty-five people from 24 community land trusts (CLTs) from Washington, Oregon and one from California spent the weekend learning and sharing best practices of how to create permanently affordable homes in our region. This was by far the largest of these meetings, and sold out far in advance. The small group of us who have been attending these gatherings for the past eight years found ourselves surrounded by new faces. New CLTs are springing up around the Northwest, and existing CLTs are growing the scope of their projects and ambitions.

The Washington State legislature recently allocated $200,000 to growing the capacity of young CLTs around the state. At this recent regional gathering, 11 Washington CLTs were identified that could take advantage of this assistance. The Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition has proposed that it create a year long professional development course for these eligible CLTs combined with technical assistance tailored to each organization. This relatively small dollar investment will dramatically increase the capacity of CLTs across Washington, nurturing the current growth of the movement and setting the stage for greater growth in the future.

Homestead Community Land Trust (HCLT) is also experiencing a significant growth spurt. As you will read in these pages, we have hired two new staff members, dramatically increasing our capacity to serve more homeowners. We have been adding to our stock of affordable homes at a rapid rate. We have added four homes in the last six weeks, bringing our total to 15. Four more homes will close in the next six weeks. These include our first townhome, condos, and Habitat partnership home.

Collectively, our four most recent homebuying families have African, Asian, Native American and European ancestry, seven children, include recent and long established immigrants, and people for whom English is a second and third language.

This spring brings HCLT new growth in many directions. New homes, new housing types, new family demographics, new partnerships! No wonder I haven’t had time to mow my lawn!
            

Homestead Welcomes Laura Evans, Homeownership Program Manager

The position of Homeownership Program Manager for Homestead Community Land Trust has proven to be an exciting and challenging role for me.   Born and raised in the Seattle area, I have been a first-hand witness to the increasing prices of Seattle’s housing, watching as the prices soar above an attainable level for the majority of its residents.

I am a strong believer that access to safe, stable, and affordable housing is a fundamental human need and part of the foundation of a strong community.   Homestead Community Land Trust is on the brink of facilitating three new homeowners to meet this need, with another 15 homeowners expected to realize the same dream by the end of the year with the support of HCLT.  Needless to say, it is an exciting time to be joining the organization. 

Working within HCLT’s homeownership model, I see that a vibrant, diverse, and caring community in Seattle can be cultivated, one homeowner at a time.   I am honored to be participating in building community in this way and look forward to continuing the work of HCLT in supporting those who might otherwise be pushed out of our city, as they gain a foothold in the market and make the leap to homeownership. 

How to Help Preserve Permanent Affordability

Your financial contributions make home ownership possible for hardworking individuals and families who otherwise could not own a home of their own in the community in which they live or work. 

When you make a charitable donation to Homestead Community Land Trust you make a difference in individual lives today and then your gift goes further.  Your gift is an investment in our community’s future. 

By giving to Homestead you help:

• create and preserve a stock of permanently affordable homes (in 2007 alone, 19 homes will become permanently affordable, positively affecting the lives of 133 current and future families)
• strengthen our community’s infrastructure and community involvement
• protect residents from displacement

You may contribute by:

• Donating Online at www.homesteadclt.org
• Calling Kristin Bolken at 206.323.1227
• Mailing a check to:

Homestead Community Land Trust
Attn:  DONATIONS
2017 E. Spruce Street
Seattle, WA 98122

Matching Gifts
Increase your contribution to Homestead Community Land Trust by sending in your company’s matching gift form or company name along with your gift.

Gifts of Stock
Appreciated assets such as stocks are always welcome.

Memorial and Honorarium Gifts
Any gift to Homestead Community Land Trust can be made in the name of another individual. Such gifts will allow you to honor the life and/or memory of a loved one.

Planned Gifts
Any lifetime income, will or legacy gifts are appreciated!

Congratulations New Homestead Homeowners!

Meet some of Homestead Community Land Trust’s newest Seattle homeowners!

   Mijo Lee and son, Teyo Lee are among the newest families to purchase this year.  Mijo is an attorney and currently works as a public defender in Seattle.  “I never considered buying”, said Mijo, “It didn’t occur to me that I could afford to own a home”.   Offering her son stability was a top priority throughout the process.  After being approved through the Homestead Advantage Program and searching for a home, Mijo’s perspective shifted.  “Oh my God, now I can afford to buy a home—I feel so thankful, I’m doing something for myself, my son and my whole community,” she said.   The issue of community and Homestead’s vision of a diverse Seattle for current and future families resonated as well for Mijo.  “What will housing prices look like next year?” she said, “I want to continue to see the city that I love—urban and diverse…to see that city, we have to preserve affordable housing.”  The Lee’s closed on their Seattle home in April.  Congratulations Mijo and Teyo!

James Nail, Kasandra Laing and children Alexia and Skyler also purchased their home through the Homestead Advantage Program this spring.  James, who works as a full-time machinist at JD Ott Company, was concerned about being able to afford a home for his family.  “We went to apply for low-income housing, but were overqualified because of my overtime, but we still could not afford to buy a house,” said James.  The family went to Habitat for Humanity meeting and connected with Homestead Community Land Trust.  Around this same time, James’ grandmother and aunt decided to sell their home.  The house had been in the Nail family for 60 years.  Because of Homestead’s buyer-driven program, the Nail’s could purchase their family home.  “My kids love living in their grandma and aunt’s house,” said James, “The kids have this sense of security and are able to stay in the same school district”.  James then went on to say, “Homestead is important because it gives hardworking people a chance to buy a house—they make it affordable for me and then make it affordable for other people down the line.”  Welcome home James, Kasandra, Alexia and Skyler!

The Yanos family immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia in 1984 and has been in Seattle since 1995.  The family had been dreaming of buying a home large enough for their entire family since moving to the city.  When the family approached Homestead Community Land Trust, they were urgent to become homeowners because their son was living outside of their home due to space limitations.  The Yanos family had a tiny apartment—buying a house that was big enough for the entire family was very important.  Through the Homestead Advantage Program, the Yanos’ located a 5-bedroom house in the Rainier Valley area, close to work and close to the children’s school.  “We wanted to be in central Seattle and we needed a large house for our whole family.  We could afford $200,000, but would have had to go far out of Seattle for that price,” said the Yanos’, “Because of Homestead, we found the house we needed and our son is very happy.”  Congratulations Yanos family!

Homestead welcomes Kristin Bolken

One of the things I love most about Seattle is that even though it is a booming, progressive city, it has small town charm.  Each neighborhood has its own special vibrancy and charisma.  It’s so clear me that as people who work and contribute to this special city move farther away from it because of out-of-sight housing prices, we run the risk of losing individuals who keep our town interesting and diverse.  I am proud to be working for Homestead Community Land Trust because we are making a huge difference.  I look forward to working with you as Homestead’s Development and Communications Director to preserve affordable housing in this great city!  If you can think of ways to help, I invite you to contact me at 206.323.1227.

Help Homestead By Granting a Wish

There are ways to help support Homestead Community Land Trust by providing goods or services that we would otherwise have to pay for!

Please call Kristin Bolken at 206.323.1227 to contribute the following items or expertise:

• Copy/printer paper
• Pens for homeownership orientation participants
• Calculators for orientation participants
• “Welcome Home” gift baskets for new homeowners
• Digital scanner with automatic document feeder (example:  Xerox Documate Scanner)
• Phone system with auto attendant and voice mail
• Printing services
• Sign, banner and plaque design and printing
• Donated land/property in the Greater Seattle Area

The Seattle Foundation Supports Homestead Community Land Trust’s Growth!

This is a very exciting time for Homestead Community Land Trust.  The stock of permanently affordable homes in Seattle will significantly expand as we add 19 new homes into trust this year, bringing Homestead’s total portfolio to 30 by this time next year. 

This historic milestone would not be possible without leadership and support from our community.  Homestead recently received a grant from The Seattle Foundation to build the capacity to sustain our growth.

“Homestead Community Land Trust work addresses many issues in our Healthy Community framework: providing for the basic need of housing, contributing to a vibrant and diversified economy by attracting more residents and businesses, and fostering strong and connected neighborhoods and communities. The Seattle Foundation was pleased to grant $25,000 to HCLT at this critical juncture in its organizational development and programmatic growth”, said Phyllis Campbell, President/CEO of The Seattle Foundation.

On behalf of the current and future homeowners, staff, members and Board, thank you!

For more information about The Seattle Foundation, visit www.seattlefoundation.org

Host a Party and Spread the Good News About Affordable Homeownership!

Host a House Party in your home or office and share the good news about permanently affordable housing through Homestead Community Land Trust with your family, friends or business acquaintances.  Consider asking friends and family members to become a Homestead member and make a charitable contribution in lieu of birthday or anniversary gifts at your next celebration.  Contact Kristin Bolken, Director of Development and Communications for more information at 206.323.1227.