For More Information Contact:
Darryl Neher: 540-341-4952
Amelie Rives: 804-718-0406
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Fauquier County, Virginia) The Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust (VSCLT) welcomed its first community land trust homeowner in Fauquier County, Virginia through a partnership with the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity (FHFH). To date, this is the second, affordable home in the Commonwealth of Virginia to enter into perpetual affordability through the VSCLT model.
“Homeownership is the American Dream and for too many of our community members this dream cannot be reality. Inflation, rising interest rates, and limited housing stock has made housing extremely unaffordable. This VSCLT home is an innovative approach to creating and retaining affordable homeownership in even our most expensive communities.” says VSCLT Executive Director, Amelie Rives.
VSCLT is an innovative model and the only Statewide Community Land Trust (CLT) in the United States that works primarily with Habitat for Humanity affiliates to create permanently affordable homeownership. In this instance, FHFH built an affordable home in the town of Remington in Fauquier County and sold it to an income-qualified household. VSCLT, a Statewide non-profit organization, supports FHFH to use the CLT legal structure to make the home permanently affordable. VSCLT operates in all jurisdictions around the State and recently entered its first home into the CLT in partnership with Loudoun Habitat for Humanity. Loudoun County is one of the most expensive jurisdictions in the country.
Fauquier Habitat for Humanity is excited to welcome the first time homeowner into the CLT program and to partner with the Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust. Homeowners in the VSCLT placed through Habitat are still considered Habitat families and complete Habitat’s sweat equity hours and homeownership preparation classes.
“Fauquier Habitat for Humanity has long envisioned a future where we could expand the amazing work we do to provide deeply affordable homeownership to families in need. VSCLT’s partnership allows us to do just that. Now this home will serve not only this first family, but each subsequent family to purchase it will receive an affordable price. That is the power of CLTs,” says Darryl Neher, CEO of Fauquier Habitat for Humanity
The partnership between Habitat and VSCLT enhances the work Habitat already does to connect families to wealth building opportunities through homeownership by amplifying this impact for families through permanent affordability of the home for current and future generations to come. Future VSCLT homeowners are expected in Loudoun County, Fauquier County, and Fairfax County through thoughtful partnerships with LHFH, Fauquier Habitat for Humanity, and Habitat D.C.-NOVA.
The Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust is a community land trust that operates statewide. For more information visit https://www.vsclt.org/. To find out how to become a VSCLT development partner or homeowner, contact Amelie Rives, Executive Director, at amelie@hdadvisors.net or 804-718-0406.