Catalytic Land Cohort

In 2019, Grounded Solutions Network launched the Catalytic Land Cohort to convene Community Land Trusts and their community partners in Atlanta, Houston, and Portland, Oregon. Together they explored strategies for investing in their communities and found that leveraging vacant and publicly owned land was one of the most valuable contributions jurisdictions can provide for creating more affordable housing, especially lasting affordable housing. 

Watch their video to hear first-hand what they learned and find out how communities in California can use these ideas to create housing with land resources they control. 

You can also read more about it here


September 2022

Community Land Trusts as Stewards of Public Land

California’s affordability crisis has reached every corner of the state, and local governments are examining their assets to find ways to support the preservation and development of affordable housing.

This guide documents how local governments can partner with Community Land Trusts to achieve their goals, and provides case studies on government–CLT collaborations that turned public resources into a variety of sustained benefits for community members most in need.

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June 2, 2022

UCI study says affordable homes don’t weaken communities

Any community that has considered where to build affordable housing has probably heard some version of these concerns: “If you put this in my community, crime is going to go up and my housing value is going to go down.”

That’s the perception UC Irvine professor George Tita, who heads the university’s Livable Cities Lab, often hears, and a new study he and his colleagues just completed looks at affordable developments in Orange County to explore whether those assumptions are supported by facts.

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January 2022

Sage Park Grand Opening


January 26, 2022

Affordable Sage Park community readies to welcome new homeowners in Irvine

When Sergio and Cinthia Preciado stepped inside their new four-bedroom Portola Springs home on Monday, the feeling of watching their two daughters, ages 12 and 2, relish the space was almost indescribable.

But the words Sergio Preciado finally conjured were simply: “It was just utter joy.”

The family of four, who have been living with Preciado’s parents for more than five years, will soon move into their house in the new Sage Park neighborhood just outside the Irvine Great Park, a community made up of 68 affordable homes priced starting in the low-$400,000s.

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July 23, 2021

Three Southern California non-profits come together to strengthen and expand services and resources for people living in Santa Ana

Services and resources are being re-envisioned and strengthened through a new partnership in Irvine. Momentum (formerly United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles) is helping bolster support for people with disabilities in a community-based, group living environment at Mandel and Horwitz homes. The Jewish Federation of Orange County (JFOC) (previously the Jewish Federation and Family Services of Orange County) was looking for partners to help them reach this goal. They found alliances with Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT) and Momentum. ICLT purchased the homes from JFOC and Momentum will manage the homes and services.

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July 9, 2021

6,052 join lottery for 68 Irvine townhomes priced as low as $425,000

Who wants a new home in Irvine for as little as $425,000?

Apparently, a lot. More than 6,000 potential homeowners entered a lottery to buy 68 townhomes being built in Irvine by the Irvine Community Land Trust. The nonprofit was created by the city to provide lower-price housing. The Sage Park project is built on land donated by real estate giant Irvine Co.

“We are really excited about the high interest,” says Mark Asturias, the trust’s executive director. The trust’s Salerno rental project in Irvine last year drew 6,800 applications for an 80-unit apartment complex.

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February 17, 2021

The Regulatory Review: Community Land Trusts Get a California Makeover

California dreamin’ has turned into a nightmare for many Californians, as residents of the state often face high housing costs and some of the longest car commutes in the United States. But due to two state laws that took effect in the past year, community land trusts may soon help keep roofs over Californians’ heads and frustrated commuters off the highways, delivering environmental benefits as well.

California’s high housing costs are the “most significant driver of inequality in the state.” The state’s housing stock has failed to increase with its population in recent decades, and building affordable housing costs about three times as much in California as in Texas or Illinois. Even the COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed soaring home prices, which rose by an average of 17 percent across the state in 2020.

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February 15, 2021

Orange County Register: 68 homes priced from low-$400,000 coming to Irvine

Irvine will get 68 affordable homes for income-qualified buyers at roughly half the price of a typical residence in the city.

Irvine Community Land Trust started construction on its first ownership project — the Sage Park development on 4 acres north of Irvine Boulevard in the Portola Springs neighborhood. The nonprofit housing developer’s attached-home project, expected to be ready in 2022, will have 16 units with two bedrooms, 36 with three bedrooms and 16 with four.

The trust estimates pricing to start “in the low-$400,000s.” As a comparison, the typical Irvine home is valued at $933,518 by Zillow — up 4.6% in a year.

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January 28, 2021

Daily Pilot: As home prices soar in O.C., Irvine Community Land Trust breaks ground on affordable home ownership project

As Orange County’s home prices and sales surge amid a pandemic housing boom, the Irvine Community Land Trust recently broke ground on an affordable home ownership community in Irvine.

The Sage Park development, which will be located north of Irvine Boulevard, will have 68 units available for moderate-income families.

The development — which is estimated to be completed in January 2022 — will provide an affordable alternative for people looking to buy their first home in a county that’s seen the median price of a home rise to nearly $800,000.

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July 21, 2020

New Irvine Affordable Housing Community Receives Outpouring of Interest from the Community

The Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT) has closed the interest list for Salerno, an 80-unit affordable community that represents the latest in the ICLT portfolio designed to create greater affordability in Irvine, Calif.

The interest list was randomized by computer, assigning a number to each name. Regardless of when individuals signed up, their ranking on the list was assigned at random.

Salerno received overwhelming interest, with 6,818 people signing up for the sought-after units from May 7 through July 15. The majority of prospective residents came from Southern California with a smaller number outside the area. Each individual on the list will be contacted in the days ahead to be informed of their random ranking on the list; later this year, individuals near the top of the list will have qualifications checked to ensure they qualify for the affordable units.

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July 6, 2020

City of Irvine to Start Rental Assistance Program

The City of Irvine has committed $2,000,000 in one-time federal CARES Act funding to create the Rental Assistance Program. This program is only available to residential renters, and will exclude commercial, industrial or other types of business-related tenants. 

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June 4, 2020

California HCD to Present at Next ICLT Board Meeting

The next ICLT board meeting, set for June 15, will feature two special guests: Housing Policy Development Specialist Mehgie Tabar and Financial Assistance Manager Craig Morrow from the California Department of Housing & Community Development. Their special presentation will provide insight on HCD's funding and surplus property programs.

As a reminder, ICLT's meetings are being held online to adhere to social distancing. Information on how to join will be provided at www.irvineclt.org/agendas next week.


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May 27, 2020

Safe at Home: A Snapshot of Irvine’s Most Vulnerable Populations

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase “safe at home” has risen to serve as one of the key messages in encouraging social distancing practices. While important to the larger mission of flattening the curve of the disease, this messaging does not address a critical fact: even in a community as affluent as Irvine, highly vulnerable populations exist that lack financial stability in their own home – and they need all the help we can provide. In addition to being low-income, these citizens include veterans, adults living with developmental disabilities and individuals at risk of homelessness.

Read the entire report here.


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April 30, 2020

City of Irvine Offers Relief for Residents

At its April 28 meeting, the Irvine City Council voted to extend the executive orders and resolutions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in these measures are two key programs for Irvine residents struggling with food or finances during the pandemic.

The City of Irvine's Emergency Solutions Grant offers emergency short-term rent and utility assistance to residents. Application and qualification for the funds can be done through Families Forward (949-552-2727) or South County Outreach (949-380-8144).

The City of Irvine's Community Block Grant is providing groceries and meals to those who qualify. Residents can apply through Families Forward, South County Outreach, or Second Harvest Food Bank (949-653-2900).

Additionally, the City is providing meal and grocery services for seniors. For more information, call 949-724-6926.


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February 7, 2020

2019 ICLT Annual Report

From passing critical affordable housing legislation to breaking ground on a new community in our beloved city, 2019 was a landmark year for the Irvine Community Land Trust. Read all about our accomplishments and future goals in the Annual Report.

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December 3, 2019

New California legislation passes to benefit Community Land Trusts

A new law benefitting California community land trusts (CLTs) was signed into law by the Governor on October 9, 2019.  

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October 30, 2019

Homebuyer Education Class

NeighborWorks Orange County will be conducting an entry level class called Homebuying 101

November 12, 2019 at 6:00 pm

250 E. Center St., Anaheim CA 92805

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October 16, 2019

GlobeSt.com: The New CA Law That Could Generate Loads of Affordable Housing

SB 196 provides a property tax exemption to affordable housing developers during construction.

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October 9, 2019

Newsom Signs Critical Affordable Housing Bill Into Law

SB-196, championed by the Irvine Community Land Trust, removes barriers to development of new affordable housing communities.

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September 20, 2019

Los Angeles Times: ICLT Breaks Ground on New Affordable Housing Community.

Irvine city officials broke ground Thursday on a new affordable housing development near the Orange County Great Park.  The Salerno subdivision, expected to open by fall 2020, will offer 80 units to financially- strained residents.

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September 20, 2019

The Orange County Register: Legislation to Benefit New ICLT Construction.

A new 80-unit apartment complex that recently broke ground in Irvine could be a new beginning for the veterans, developmentally disabled people and families at risk of homelessness who will become its tenants when it opens next year.

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April 25, 2019

Donations of all kinds now being accepted for Irvine's next great affordable community

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April 1, 2019

ICLT featured in UC Berkeley - Terner Center Case Study for Housing Innovation

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March 23, 2019

ICLT Opens Board Nominations

Accounting, information technology, fundraising, public relations, marketing are key traits for volunteer affordable-housing posts.

The Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT) is looking for two more dedicated, passionate individuals to join its volunteer Board of Directors and further its mission of providing high-quality, affordable housing in one of Southern California’s most expensive real estate markets.

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September 1, 2018

Building a better Irvine

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August 13, 2018

Development to Help Fill Housing Need in Irvine, Calif.

Reported in Affordable Housing Finance

The recently completed Parc Derian brings 80 units of housing for working families, veterans, and special-needs residents in Irvine, Calif.  The development is a public/private partnership between C&C Development, Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), Lennar Corp., the city of Irvine, and the Irvine Community Land Trust.

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June 26, 2018

Irvine Community Land Trust re-established as Independent, Nonprofit Entity

Spin-off from city government fulfills mission of sovereignty stated at affordable housing group’s founding a decade ago

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March 23, 2018

Irvine Community Land Trust in Favor of New Land Trust Bill

Carrie Rossenfeld - March 23, 2018 - SoCal Real Estate

Senate Bill 1056 extends nonprofit tax exemptions to community land trusts in California to make home prices for low and moderate-income households more affordable. Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT) has given its support to the California Community Land Trust Network and California State Senator Jim Beall on the introduction of SB 1056, a measure aimed to provide the state’s community land trusts with the tools needed to prove more affordable-housing and homeownership opportunities to low- and moderate-income households.

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June 7, 2016

Irvine deploys land trust to build affordable housing in pricey Orange County.

Reported in CA Economic Summit

Orange County’s lowest income renters spend more than 80 percent of their income on rent. Adjusted for housing costs, that brings the poverty rate to more than 20 percent of the population. That’s according a report issued last month by the California Housing Partnership Corporation (CHPC). To bring the poverty rate down, the report says the county needs to add more than 101,000 units of affordable housing units.

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January 9, 2012

New Housing in Irvine Represents Focus on Integration, Accessibility

Reported by National League of Cities

Irvine, Calif., recently unveiled a new complex of 60 permanent, affordable homes, the first to be built in partnership with the recently founded Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT). The Doria Apartment Homes were developed and completed in a joint venture by the ICLT and the Jamboree Housing Corporation, one of California's largest active affordable housing developers.

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April 1, 2006

Irvine Moves to Lock In Low-Cost Housing

Reported in Los Angeles Times

As communities across the state struggle to find ways to create and maintain low-cost housing, one Orange County city is adopting a strategy first used by environmentalists to protect open space.

Irvine, a rapidly growing city of 180,000, with outstanding schools and a low crime rate, is creating a land trust whose goal will be to make 10% of the city's housing permanently low-cost.

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