Where equitable development grows.
The Detroit Cultivator Community Land Trust was formed in 2020 through gifts of land by North End Christian CDC and its neighbors. To date, we have secured nearly six acres of land in Detroit’s North End for the permanent benefit and empowerment of the neighborhood. While there are more than 200 active community land trusts nationwide, we’re proud to the first in Detroit.
What is a community land trust?
A community land trust is a not-for-profit 501 (c)3 rganization that helps neighborhoods increase their self-determination by holding and developing land on their behalf. Guided by a board comprised of community members, land trusts serve as the long-term stewards for affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial spaces and other community assets.
A powerful tool for racial equity
In Detroit, many revitalization efforts have disproportionately benefitted non-residents and those with incomes higher incomes. Too often this has led to displacement and further marginalization of communities of color. By ensuring a place at the table for current residents, many of whom have endured decades of intentional disinvestment, community land trusts help residents take control of their destiny and remain in their neighborhoods.
Our goals
● To promote and facilitate equitable and inclusive development of Detroit neighborhoods through the acquisition and maintenance of land, held in public trust for perpetuity, that provides space for activities that improve resident’s quality of life.
● To support the long-term health and safety of Detroit’s North End community by protecting the natural environment and promoting ecologically sound land use.
● To create access to healthy food and affordable housing for the residents of Detroit’s North End community.
● To create opportunities for low-resourced Detroiters to develop marketable skills industries related to agriculture, the environment, and food production.
● To model exemplary architectural land use practices that attract global interest.