Raleigh Area Land Trust Marks World CLT Day with a Call for Community-Led Solutions to the Housing Crisis
As North Carolina communities grapple with rising home prices and disappearing affordability, the Raleigh Area Land Trust (RALT) is recognizing World Community Land Trust (CLT) Day by spotlighting a proven, community-led solution: keeping land in community ownership to make homeownership permanently affordable.
RALT is Wake County’s first and only community land trust, and one of just eight CLTs across North Carolina working to ensure that lower- and moderate-income families can stay rooted in their communities. Nationally, 342 CLTs are using this model to prevent displacement and create lasting affordability in both urban and rural areas.
“The CLT model is working in places across the country—and right here in Raleigh,” said Kevin Campbell, Executive Director of RALT. “It gives families a fair shot at homeownership and ensures that rising prices don’t push them out in the future. We’re putting land back in community control and making affordability permanent.”
The community land trust model works on a shared equity model to allow the initial homebuyer to earn equity while maintaining affordability for future buyers. Homebuyers purchase homes at below-market prices, while RALT retains ownership of the land to ensure affordability for generations to come. This approach helps families build wealth while protecting neighborhoods from speculative development.
RALT has committed to creating 100 permanently affordable homes over the next five years. Projects are already underway in neighborhoods like Idlewild and Washington Terrace—historic communities where affordability and cultural identity are at risk.
World CLT Day, celebrated annually on May 16, is an international recognition of the work being done by CLTs around the globe to promote housing justice, community stability, and economic opportunity. RALT is participating by sharing local stories and showcasing its impact across Wake County. To learn more, visit https://www.ralt.org/.
About Raleigh Area Land Trust
Raleigh Area Land Trust (RALT) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing options for residents of Wake County. Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, RALT creates sustainable housing solutions that promote equity and opportunity for all individuals and families. The non-profit has committed to having 100 homes in a trust over the next five years, addressing the pressing need for accessible housing solutions in our community.
