About Here to Stay Community Land Trust

Our Vision

Our vision is to interrupt the patterns of displacement and gentrification in Black and Brown communities by providing a mechanism for the community to own land, create affordable homeownership for legacy families, and have power and a voice in land use decisions.

Our Mission

The Here to Stay Community Land Trust retains low- to moderate-income households across Hermosa, Avondale, Logan Square and Humboldt Park through affordable homeownership and communal ownership of the land.

Our Impact

Preserving subsidy for greater impact

Public dollars from the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, philanthropy and private donors have made it possible for low and moderate income families to buy their first home. In 2021 HTS purchased our first home. Our portfolio includes nearly 50 units made up of condominiums, single family and multi-family homes. We are working with Chicago’s 26th ward to acquire two more city owned vacant lots.

Permanent affordability

On average HTS sells single family homes for $275,000, two flats for $375,000 and condos for $150,000. HTS needs on average $200,000 to subsidize each unit of housing. Here to Stay ensures lasting affordability through the community land trust model, using a 99-year renewable ground lease and subsidy retention to keep homes affordable for generations to come

Equity is our priority

Most Here to Stay homeowners are second-generation residents of Logan Square, Avondale, Humboldt Park, and Hermosa, neighborhoods where long-time families are actively being priced out. Thanks to Here to Stay, these legacy residents get to share in the investment happening as these areas gentrify, protecting equitable access to neighborhoods rich with amenities and opportunity, and the social networks and memories that make them home.

Pre and post-purchase support while building community

Here to Stay staff supports our homeowners by helping them access resources and answering questions throughout their homeownership journey. We host annual events that bring families together such as holiday gatherings, summer picnics, and gardening workshops.

Homeowners Have a Voice - Shared Governance

Effective April of 2026 the Here to Stay board of directors will transition to a tripartite board, meaning the composition will be one-third homeowners, one-third community organizations/founding members, and one-third experts in the field.

Foreclosure prevention

Data shows that community land trust homeowners’ foreclosure rate is just a tenth of conventional homeowners’ foreclosure rate. After the 2008 foreclosure crisis, less than one-half of one percent of community land trust homeowners across the U.S. went into foreclosure, compared to the conventional ownership foreclosure rate of 4.63%.

Housing stability

Community land trust residents report gratitude for housing security, stability, and autonomy over the home as their primary motivation for buying a community land trust home. Homeowners buy in their neighborhood, where they have a social network of family and friends, where they have roots.