Reviving heritage and affordable housing: The UHPCLT community land trust project
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Project Summary
To combat further erosion of the affordable housing stock, Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust UHPCLT, has set out to demonstrate how to create an affordable housing-focused, community-led community land trust. This CLT will serve the community and lead a transformative movement guided by community voices, values, and aspirations.
The Nova Scotia Community Housing Growth Fund, as part of its component dedicated to organizations serving Black communities, will support the funding of a program coordination position.
The neighborhood of Upper Hammonds Plains (UHP) in Nova Scotia has historically been marginalized and underserved. Discrimination, home ownership restrictions and expropriation have hindered African Nova Scotians’ access to economic opportunities. Urban development and the difficulty of acquiring affordable housing in the area have gradually eroded the community’s cultural identity and heritage. Yet this is one of the largest communities of African descent in the province, with a history spanning over 200 years. The generations who have lived here have demonstrated their attachment to their land and their community. The land trust was developed specifically to preserve this.
The person hired will carry out tasks such as monitoring land transfers for community housing, building organizational capacity and documenting knowledge-sharing processes. They will strengthen the organization, better supervise development projects, improve knowledge and partnerships, and provide comprehensive documentation. The initiative aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of the community land trust model for affordable housing in Nova Scotia, and to set a precedent for African Nova Scotian communities.
The Centre is delighted to support UHPCLT in its work of transformation based on the needs and aspirations of the local community. The organization has already launched important discussions on neighborhood-based planning and community-driven housing solutions.