THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL

As the fastest growing state in the country, Idaho’s housing crisis is pressing. Like many  communities, low real estate and rental inventory coupled with exponentially increasing prices for home buyers and renters are squeezing long-time residents out of the area in search of affordable housing.

Several community groups have joined forces to create a housing task force led by Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad. Exploring mixed options for tackling the housing issue is the goal.

One option proposed by Kaniksu Land Trust is the community land trust model. Community land trusts are private, nonprofit organizations that own land beneath residential homes. Homeowners may purchase and sell the structure, but the land is held in ownership of the trust, keeping real estate more affordable while allowing the homeowner to build equity.

“This type of equity-building could be a first step that makes future land ownership attainable to members of our community who would find jumping straight into a land-home package too big of a leap,” said Katie Cox, KLT Executive Director.

Kaniksu Land Trust has preserved over 4,000 acres of land in the past 20 years through voluntary conservation agreements with private land owners and through the acquisition of lands to be retained in trust on behalf of the community. In 2021, the KLT Board of Directors specifically included the work of conserving land for housing in the organization’s strategic plan. This decision reflects the Board's intention to prioritize conservation of lands in close proximity to population centers to support critical housing needs as well as open spaces that support preservation of wildlife habitat, culturally significant places, waterways, climate resistant lands and waters, agri-forestry properties, and community access areas for recreation and education.

“This is just one arrow in our community’s quiver aimed at tackling the local housing issue,” Cox continued. “Together, we will discover ways of caring for the needs of people as well as the land.”