The leaders of the Bloomington-Normal Community Land Trust have been busy.
They’ve secured nonprofit status with the IRS. They’ve launched a website, and met with many community groups, churches, lenders, and prospective donors. They’ve begun doing small home-improvement projects around town as a way to introduce themselves to the community before their broader work begins.
“The [Community Land Trust] spirit is stewardship. Stewardship of homes, taking in pride in where you live, and improving the quality of housing the community,” said Mark Adams, president of the Bloomington-Normal Community Land Trust. “Establishing an organization and pushing it forward on a grassroots, strictly volunteer basis takes so much time. And from our perspective, we may think it’s been very gradual and a little bit slower. But on a higher level, it’s actually been quick.”
The Bloomington-Normal Community Land Trust, or BNCLT, formed in 2023. Their goal is to increase availability of affordable housing, which is scarce in Bloomington-Normal.
They hope to do this by buying and rehabbing homes, then selling them off. The CLT would retain ownership of the land underneath that home, though, which Adams said can lower the purchase price by 30% to 40%. The BNCLT hopes to acquire and begin rehabbing its first home sometime in 2026. It’s targeting “missing middle” homebuyers making 60% to 100% of the area median income per household, which for a family of four is currently between $71,000 and $118,800.
The community land trust concept is new to Bloomington-Normal, though there are hundreds of examples around the country. The state has been studying the idea too.
“One of the biggest challenges has been showing people the full breadth and depth of the housing-affordability gap,” said Adams. “If you haven’t bought a home in the last 5 to 10 years, then you’re sheltered from the current reality.”
BNCLT is now in fundraising mode – as it needs money to buy and rehab homes. It’s already raised almost $13,000 in three months, with a goal of $54,000 by the end of the year. The next fundraiser is Saturday night – a wine night hosted by Alex and Sharon Williams in Bloomington.
They’ll also need the support of lenders. Adams says BNCLT has lined up at least three local lenders who are willing to issue a deed-restricted mortgage for its homes – a special kind of mortgage that means the land is not part of it. That happened faster than expected, Adams said.
“We're trying to keep this as local as possible, and so the more local autonomy, the more local connections, the more local it stays. And it's really in tune with the model and the spirit of the CLT,” Adams said. “And so it really does open the avenues for lending when we are in a position for capital acquisition to get the first home, and as we are looking at ways to get that home into the right hands for an income-qualified buyer.”
Community Home Improvement Projects
BNCLT has already launched its Community Home Improvement Projects, or CHIP, program. They’ve done three projects so far around Bloomington-Normal – manageable things like fixing cabinets, painting, or replacing some non-sturdy steps.
CHIP aims to help seniors, veterans and those with disabilities, said Georgene Chissell, vice president of BNCLT. The project they started last weekend was ripping out and replacing a porch and putting in a new awning over a door so the homeowner doesn’t get wet, said Chissell. They’ve received some help with local trades and labor too.
“We get our hands dirty, for real,” Chissell said.
Adams said it’s also a way to build rapport with the community.
“It shows people that we're for real. It gives people an opportunity to start volunteering and be immersed in the organization without us having to wait until Year 4 or Year 5, when we're working on that first home, if not sooner,” he said.
