As one of our BNCLT residents once said, “without the ‘C’ [community] it’s just ‘LT’...landlord-tenant.” BNCLT takes this seriously, and we also know that “community” doesn’t happen overnight. We are increasingly working to deepen and grow our membership – from our Resident Members, to our Sustainer Members, to the many other supporters who push our work forward.

Over the past few months, we have held and participated in a number of membership activities. We celebrated World CLT Day with the Greater Boston CLT Network (GBCLTN). We made an organizational banner with support from Dorchester Not for Sale, and marched for the first time in the Dorchester Day Parade.

GBCLTN State House Lobby Day

In early June, BNCLT members and staff joined GBCLTN for a powerful day of sharing our priorities with our legislators. In addition to a packed-room presentation by CLT proponents and allies, our team visited legislative offices and talked directly with legislators and their staff to make our case. We asked for their support to pass the Homes for Lasting Affordability Bill, the Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act, and the Small Properties Acquisition Fund.

An Evening in the Garden: Donor and Member Thank You

At the end of June, we held our annual “Evening in the Garden” event at our board member Erica Schwarz’s backyard. A highlight was having Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, who inspired and grounded us with her words:

“The work of community land trusts, and your support of them, is more crucial now than ever. CLTs offer us a powerful and transformative strategy by removing land from speculative markets, preserving homes as permanently affordable. Their act of stewardship and commitment to community-centered development safeguards neighborhoods from displacement and disruption…One of the things I think CLTs understand better than most is that housing isn’t just about buildings and land. It’s about people and dignity. It’s about families being able to put down roots, children attending the same schools year after year, stability for families, and our seniors being able to stay in the communities they shaped.”

— Councilor Louijeune

More Than a Rental: What Your CLT Means For You

Most recently, we gathered with our Resident Members to discuss how all the parts of BNCLT - residents, staff, board, property management, and members - contribute to our mission of community-controlled permanently affordable housing. We began with an interactive building activity symbolizing how all the pieces of our organization fit together, and culminated by inviting everyone to sign our social contract.

Here are some photos from our spring and summer – hope you enjoy!