What We Do
The Olympic Housing Trust (OHT) is Jefferson County and Clallam County’s community land trust. The homes OHT currently stewards are owned by folks who are, or were, below 80% of area median income (AMI) at the time of purchase. OHT is reviewing strategies for serving households earning slightly higher than 80% AMI due to the clear need for more workforce housing.
A community land trust (CLT) is a non-profit organization that stewards affordable housing, community spaces such as gardens, and other community assets on the behalf of and for the good of the community it serves.
What to know about CLTs:
CLTs are able to offer permanently affordable housing through their model of subsidizing housing costs on the front end, and capping future home sales on the back end. This means that for homeownership opportunities, our organization owns the land under the home while the homeowner owns the house itself.
CLTs are classified as tax-exempt and non-profits who receive 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS.
CLTs are focused on the continuous active acquisition of land and development, not on one single project located on one single parcel of land.
The CLT operates within the targeting boundaries of its locale. Any adult who resides in the targeted local is able to become a voting member of the CLT following membership guidelines.
CLTs are found across the United States and Western Europe!
Our Promise
Stewarding Community: Housing trusts, also known as community land trusts, strengthen a community's social fabric and resilience through stewarding community assets. Land, housing, and other community resources are preserved and maintained by the trust.
Meeting Local Needs: Housing trusts can provide many paths to housing security, including homeownership, quality rentals, mobile or tiny home communities, limited equity cooperative housing, small multi-family developments, and more. Olympic Housing Trust is excited to explore these possibilities through developing unique partnerships and responding to community priorities.
Responsive and Accountable: A housing trust is meant to be a resource for the community it serves, guided by and accountable to that community. Our membership model provides a way for local residents to participate in shaping the role of the housing trust. Our governance structure is set up to incorporate the voices of those who are most impacted by rising un-affordability: one third of the board is reserved for people who are either clients of the housing trust, individuals who are low-income themselves, or people whose work serves low-income communities.
Learn more: Community land trusts and housing trusts are growing in popularity nationwide. Learn more about the community land trust model here.