Our Story
Bay Area Community Land Trust is a democratic community organization founded in 2006.
It was established by a group of political and union activists in Berkeley, many with backgrounds in the building and construction trades, to support elders who were being priced out. They decided to develop limited equity housing cooperatives within a community land trust to permanently preserve affordable housing while ensuring resident control.
After the 2008 foreclosure crisis derailed early progress, BACLT shifted gears and began developing a housing cooperative education program. Over the next decade it would host public teach-ins, tours, movie screenings, and regular gatherings of local co-ops to build public awareness and support for housing co-ops in the East Bay.
Between 2010-2015 BACLT acquired its first three properties — Derby Walker, Brown Shingle Mutual Housing, and Ninth Street Co-op — which carried legacies of resisting displacement, rent striking, and fighting for resident ownership.
The CLT/co-op hybrid model provided more support and stability for the self-managed resident groups, ensuring community control and affordability in perpetuity. During this time BACLT also grew in its role as a trainer, technical assistance provider, and convener, supporting dozens of co-ops in the area.
Between 2017-2019 BACLT grew its presence in Oakland. Several resident groups and an owner approached the land trust for partnership, leading to four more acquisitions: Newton House Collective, Fairmount House, 12th Ave, and Shadetree Artist Co-op.
After completing two acquisition/rehab projects in North and South Berkeley during the COVID pandemic, and another in 2024, BACLT now has ten properties in Berkeley and Oakland, totaling 98 homes with over 130 residents. To date, its resident groups have achieved various levels of self-management, including three fully independent Limited or No-Equity Housing Cooperatives.
As of December 2024, BACLT’s membership has grown to over 200 voting members, and in January 2024 elected its first majority-BIPOC board.
Looking ahead BACLT strives to grow into a stable, deeply democratic, expansive community of belonging that elevates the people and culture being driven from the East Bay. It is committed to advocating alongside residents for the systems change necessary to create dignified, decommodified homes for generations to come.