CLT Online Handbook
Section I: Background Materials The rationale and history behind creating a Community Land Trust.
- Land: Challenge and Opportunity by Susan Witt and Robert Swann An introduction to re-thinking our relationship to the land, using the Community Land Trust as a tool. Discusses various uses of a Land Trust and how different community organizations can cooperate to effectively enable land and farmland preservation, initiate community land use planning and create affordable housing. Online | PDF
- Regional Responsibility for Farm Land by Susan Witt Clarifies the roles of the Land Trust in preserving farm land, and points to the potential for Community Land Trusts and Conservation Land Trusts to work together. Online | PDF
- Land Trusts as Part of a Threefold Economic Strategy for Regional Integration by Robert Swann Swann's threefold strategy includes land trusts, community development corporations and community money. Includes a discussion of key reasons why land trusts are advantageous in a strategy of regional decentralization. Online | PDF
- Introduction to the 1972 edition of The Community Land Trust Handbook by Robert Swann Discusses the evolution and historical precedents of land trusts. Online | PDF
- Alternatives to Ownership: Land Trusts as Land Reform by Robert Swann Short discussion of CLTs as a way to create long-lasting land reform. Online | PDF
- Land, Land Trusts and Employment by Robert Swann Swann disputes Keynes' approach to economic management, and offers the land trust as a more effective vehicle for increasing employment in a region. Online | PDF
Section II: Creating a Community Land Trust Organization Brochure, bylaws and articles of organization for the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires.
- Info Pamphlet for the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires Online | PDF | En Español
- Bylaws The Community Land Trust (CLT)is a simple not-for-profit organization. As the CLT is capable of holding any land in the region, including land for farming, commercial use, residential and low income, the corporation is not organized as a tax exempt organization. A tax exempt designation would limit the activities of what is intended to be a broadly-reaching, flexible land holding organization. Online | PDF
Section III: Forest Row -- Model for Affordable Housing History and legal documents for Forest Row.
- Lease Agreement This is based on leases used by the Jewish National Fund and modified over the years within Massachusetts Law. Consult with your local lawyer for application to your local laws. The object is to provide leaseholders with ownership of all buildings and other improvements on the site while maintaining ownership of the land itself within the Trust. The resale restrictions call for the leaseholder to retain the current replacement value of improvements on the site, adjusted for deterioration, without capturing the speculative land value. Online | PDF
- Addendum to the Lease (see Indian Line Farm lease addendum) This addendum is for the benefit of a mortgager of the building on leased land. It allows a mortgager to be free from resale restrictions in the event of a foreclosure. There is also ample provision for the CLT to correct any default before foreclosure. Online | PDF
- Forest Row Land Use Plan This model is for a multiple housing site, but the same detail would be used even for a single family site to show the maximum use intended for the site. The Land Use Plan is the heart of a lease agreement. Individual homeowners at Forest Row lease the space around their home privately and then lease the common areas together with the other residents of Forest Row. Online | PDF
- Notice of Lease (see Indian Line Farm notice of lease) The Notice of Lease, description of the property leased, and the Land Use Plan are recorded at the registry of deeds after signing. Online | PDF
- Homeowners' Association Bylaws Online | PDF
- Homeowners' Agreement relative to use and upkeep of common areas Online | PDF
- Agreement between owners of multiple-unit buildings Online | PDF
- Homeowners' Association Policies Online | PDF
Section IV: Indian Line Farm -- Model for Farmland Preservation & Conservation History and legal documents for Indian Line Farm.
- A New Lease on Farmland: Assuring a Future for Farming in the Northeast by Susan Witt and Jay Rossier A guide to CLT members to ensuring that farmland kept in a trust is used productively over the long-term. Online | PDF
- In Business Article: Group Effort Saves Nation's First CSA Farm by Susan Witt Online | PDF
- From Activism to Agriculture by Judith Monachina, Special to the Berkshire Eagle Online | PDF
- From Farm to Front Door by Mark Hawthorne, American Chronicle Online
- Lease Agreement Based on leases used by the Jewish National Fund and modified over the years within Massachusetts Law. Consult with your local lawyer for application to your local laws. The object is to provide leaseholders with ownership of all buildings and other improvements on the site while maintaining ownership of the land itself within the Trust. The resale restrictions call for the leaseholder to retain the current replacement value of improvements on the site, adjusted for deterioration, without also capturing the speculative land value. Online | PDF
- Addendum to the Lease This addendum is for the benefit of a mortgager of the building on leased land. It allows a mortgager to be free from resale restrictions in the event of a foreclosure. There is also ample provision for the CLT to correct any default before foreclosure. Online | PDF
- Land Use Plan Details the tillable land, buffer areas, and other uses of the land. It reflects the combined ecological, community, farming, and private homestead interests of the partnership. PDF
- Land Management Plan Developed in cooperation with the farmers, the management plan sets the requirements for crop and livestock production to ensure that the land stays in use and is farmed in accordance with organic standards. Online | PDF
- Conservation Easement The easement protects the ecological characteristics of the farm. Online | PDF
- Notice of Lease The Notice of Lease, description of the property leased, and the Land Use Plan are recorded at the registry of deeds after signing. Online | PDF
- Bill of Sale Online | PDF
- Property Boundaries Online | PDF