Mike Horn and Dave Garner represented MOSAIC Community Land Trust at this year’s conference in Burlington, Vermont.

Welcome to the 

2012  National Community Land Trust
Conference website

RE: 2012 National Community Land Trust Conference 

Musings of Dave Garner

DATE: September 25, 2012

As most of you know, Mike Horn and I attended the conference which was held during the week of September 10, 2012 in Burlington, VT – the “birthplace” of the CLT movement.  Attached is a summary on the various programs that I attended.  If anyone has further questions after reading the summary, I do have more information that I can share.  **I plan to do a brief presentation at the Board meeting in October. 

Perhaps it was a result of still being a “CLT newbie” and/or the conference was that well planned, but I was very impressed with the entire event.  I never found myself bored with the programs and I was excited to meet so many people who were on fire for the CLT model.  Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to see these folks again at future conferences.  

Please note that the next national conference will be held in the spring of 2014 in Cleveland.

** Plan to join us at the CLT Board Meeting on October 11th, 6PM, 10 S. Hanover St.,  for Dave’s re-cap of his experience of the conference.  Our meetings are open to MOSAIC community members. 

Land Banking legislation is currently before the State Senate and is an important piece of the MOSAIC for the revitalization of Pottstown.  

Board President, David Jackson, met with Senator Rafferty last week to emphasize it’s importance to our community.  

Senator Rafferty assured his support for this measure. 

Land Bank Bill Marches On

Dave attended a workshop at the conference on Land Banking:

• Land Banks – Harold Simon of the National Housing Institute and publisher of Shelter force magazine was the facilitator and three panelists related their experiences with land banking.  In each instance, it was clear that having appropriate legislation is critical.  Two of the panelists pointed out areas where things could have been done better if the requirements would have been in place.  Jill Feldstein of the women’s community revitalization project in Philadelphia spoke on the efforts that her group is currently engaged in.  Even though state legislation has not yet been passed, Philadelphia has ordinances addressing land banking.  In a relatively small area, a neighborhood is experiencing a high number of vacant buildings and lots and longtime residents being forced out by market rate housing projects.  Jill is optimistic that the land bank can help to stabilize things in this area and focus both market rate and subsidized redevelopment in vacant areas without adversely impacting existing property owners who want to remain.