Community celebrates first affordable home built in land trust program

Published on August 09, 2024

(Pictured from left are District 3 Gainesville City Commissioner Casey Willits, Bright Community Trust President Frank Wells, Gainesville Mayor Pro Tem and At-large City Commissioner Cynthia Moore Chestnut and Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward.)

By Rossana Passaniti

Community leaders and guests were all smiles at Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the first affordable home built as part of the City of Gainesville’s community land trust (CLT) partnership with Bright Community Trust.

The new single-family home on Southwest Second Street is the first of 10 houses to be constructed in Gainesville on vacant lots previously owned by the city. Bright will retain ownership of the lots while income-eligible homeowners purchase the houses with a long-term lease on the land.

“Two years after launching this partnership with Bright, we’re able to open the doors to the first house in the community land trust,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward. “I’m thrilled to see the trust become a working part of our affordable housing plan and see this home in the Porter’s Community which is so historically significant to Gainesville.”

The new 3-bedroom, 2-bath house, built by local affordable-housing developer Alachua Habitat for Humanity, is listed for sale. 

“How thrilling for a homeowner to get the keys to this home right next to Depot Park and near good schools and medical care,” said Bright Community President Frank Wells. “We are so excited to be welcoming a new neighbor here for the City of Gainesville.”

As part of its commitment to reducing the shortage of affordable housing in Gainesville, the city will ensure costs of the CLT homes remain permanently affordable. An affordability requirement in the housing agreement with Bright restricts current and future sales to income-qualified purchasers. It also requires owner occupancy of these homes.

Neighbors with household incomes no greater than 80 percent of the area median income – as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and adjusted for family size – may qualify to purchase a home. (In Gainesville, a family of four whose annual income does not exceed $76,250 may qualify; the income limit for a single applicant is $53,400.)

In addition, homebuyers may be eligible to receive up to $30,000 toward purchase of a new home in the CLT through the city’s Down Payment Assistance program.

CLTs are a new addition to the city’s comprehensive housing strategy to increase the supply of affordable housing through new construction. The first 10 homes in the trust are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The city’s land-donation program began in 2022 with the transfer of 11 vacant lots to Alachua Habitat for Humanity for the construction of affordable, single-family homes.

Increasing affordable housing opportunities, and revitalizing eastside neighborhoods with expanded housing is a cornerstone of the City’s strategic plan.