Housing in Cambridge, whether rented or owned, is unaffordable for many of our residents, adding to inequality in our city.
As Cambridge tenants, homeowners, displaced community members, and activists, we care about our community and know we build community power together.
Community Land Trusts are one piece of the answer for permanent, affordable housing in our city.
The cost of housing has risen quickly in Cambridge, outpacing Cambridge’s rising median household income. Many of our community members, especially young adults, older adults, and people of color, make on average only a fraction of the median income. In Cambridge, 29% of households make less than 50% median income of $121,790 (2022), and 18% of households make between 50 and 100%. [insert citation]
In Cambridge and across the country, the percent of cost-burdened households – those who pay more than 30% of income on housing – has been steadily climbing. Nationally, this is growing fastest for renters earning $45,000 to $74,999, and hits renters earning less than $30,000 a year the hardest, with 83% of those households cost-burdened.
Many of us have been involved in fighting for housing justice in Cambridge and to support livable inclusive neighborhoods over many years and decades. Some of us are newer to housing justice. In 2020 we helped form the Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition (CHJC), and in 2022 started a community land trust working group to educate ourselves and learn from existing area community land trusts, and to organize to form a community land trust. Our goal is to obtain and give access to permanently affordable housing for fellow Cambridge residents. Our primary emphasis is on housing, but if the opportunity arises we may include community gardens, retail space, and other community resources.