On Thursday, Mayor Lenny Curry launched the Jacksonville Community Land Trust (JCLT). The community land trust will help neighborhoods resist gentrification, provide community members with a meaningful voice in development and enable low and moderate-income households to build generational wealth.
“Strong, financially stable families and neighborhoods are the key to a great city,” said Mayor Curry. “I am proud to share that the City of Jacksonville is the first city in the state of Florida to have passed the first-look ordinance which allows the JCLT to have first right of refusal of tax-reverted, municipal-owned real estate.”
Over the past year, the Curry administration has been working with community partners to research best practices, recruit a diverse board of directors and secure funding from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.
The City is also committing $250,000 to fund JCLT operations.
“The JCLT will acquire land, housing and other critical community-serving real estate and steward them to ensure they remain affordable in perpetuity,” said inaugural JCLT Board Chair Steve Kelley.
The JCLT will create homeownership options for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in Jacksonville, improve neighborhood stability, promote economic development and build wealth while preserving affordable homes for future generations.
Visit
jaxclthomes.org to learn more about the mission, vision and strategy of the JCLT, including information on the inaugural board of directors.