Our Mission

Kulshan Community Land Trust strengthens community by holding land in trust for permanently affordable homeownership and other community needs, and by offering financial and educational services to people of limited means.

How Does a Community Land Trust Work?

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Our Vision

  • To grow a community everyone can afford. People who work in our community should be able to live in our community.

  • Foster a healthy mix of housing types, sizes and prices, affordable at the wages of the jobs nearby. Through a variety of strategies and motivations the private, public, and nonprofit sectors create housing for our economically diverse community.

  • Economically diverse neighborhoods which reflect our economically diverse community. By encouraging a mix of housing prices within neighborhoods, and diverse neighbors sharing fences, we strengthen our community.

  • Land that is appreciated, conserved, productive, and affordable in perpetuity. A pervasive land ethic de-emphasizing a property’s speculative value.

  • Compact urban neighborhoods with easy access to jobs and transportation choices. Using incentives and best practices to grow a livable, environmentally-sound, and compact community.

  • A citizenry involved in and shaping its community. A community so promising our neighbors feel invested in its future.

  • A generous and thankful community. A community where people will take care of each other when things fall apart.

KulshanCLT’s 2022 Board of Trustees

Our Values

We believe in the power of:

  • Generosity. When we share what we have with our neighbors we build a stronger neighborhood, what we have given multiplies, and our community equity appreciates.

  • Gratitude. When we are thankful for what our neighbors have given, and appreciate the benefits we receive from our community, our neighborhood grows stronger, and good will multiplies.

  • Working Together. By seeking common ground and combining efforts with diverse, and sometimes unlikely allies, we are better able to improve our common wealth.

  • Love and Abundance. Even in a climate of fear and scarcity we approach our neighborhoods in a giving and thankful spirit, we create true wealth and reciprocation, no matter what the economic condition of our community.

  • Open Doors and Talking over Fences. We welcome and respect everyone in our neighborhood, and know that when we are faced with adversity and disharmony, the power of transparent and authentic communication resolves disputes and builds stronger relationships with our neighbors.

Our Strategy

By understanding the dynamics underlying the challenges of the commons we are better able to organize and inspire our community to more fairly share our common wealth. We apply the community land trust strategy and work within prevailing economic and governing systems, using assets and insights from all sectors, to better the common good in our community. Together, we:

  • Create urban vitality. Contribute to urban vitality by adding affordable housing to neighborhoods already served with jobs and transportation options.

  • Complement neighborhoods gracefully. Partner with others to create affordable homeownership that blends gracefully into neighborhoods.

  • Grow community. Preserve affordable homeownership for people working and living in our community, and for our children and grandchildren.

  • Build momentum. Put good ideas into action. Build and help purchase more homes every year. Make a difference together by growing awareness and involvement in bringing about our vision.

  • Create an opportunity to give. Give our community the opportunity to be positive and generous; to build a community where people will take care of each other when things fall apart; and to invest in their community, so it will always be there.

Our History

We acknowledge that KulshanCLT homes are on the occupied ancestral lands of the Coast Salish people, whose ancient heritage includes stewarding, protecting and caring for the land and waterways.

Since our inception in 1999, KulshanCLT has employed the community land trust (CLT) strategy with permanent affordability investments to partner with low- to moderate-income (LMI) households—those at or below 80% Area Median Income—to become first-time homeowners in Whatcom County, Washington. The gap between wages and home prices continues to widen, keeping homeownership out of reach for many LMI community members. Purchasing a home is more than just qualifying for a mortgage, it is a huge financial commitment. The 99-year, renewable CLT ground lease provides homeowners with the opportunity to build home equity while retaining the one-time community investment to protect the long-term affordability of the home for future LMI homebuyers.

Our three core programs—Homebuyer Education, Home Ownership Opportunities and Homeowner Services—provide financial education, pre-purchase counseling, and expertise to anyone interested, including modest income households, to ensure success and acquire skills necessary to protect the home investment.

These programs serve to break the cycle of poverty, enhance the economic self-sufficiency and personal assets of prospective LMI home buyers.

With buyers qualified by KulshanCLT, we assist by connecting buyers with reputable lenders who understand the CLT model and obtain down payment assistance from various resources to provide 10 – 30% down payment.

Today, with 141 homes in the trust, KulshanCLT has partnered with more than 220 homebuyers, including 82 resales, to achieve the dream of homeownership and provided education and training to hundreds more to acquire the skills necessary to become homeowners.

We are passionate about the work of KulshanCLT and continue to grow a community everyone can afford, even while housing prices and interest rates rise.

“A huge weight was lifted. I thought, no one can make us move again. We don’t have to worry about losing our dogs. Our kids can grow up in this house and stay at the school they love, stay friends with our neighbors.”

— Stephanie Oppelaar, KulshanCLT Homeowner