In 2007, Urban Strategies Council and other Oakland community-based organizations came together to discuss their joint concerns regarding the mounting foreclosure crisis and its negative impacts on low-income neighborhoods in Oakland.  The Council proposed that a community land trust model could provide an innovative vehicle for creating a stock of permanently affordable housing in Oakland.  After a two year process of strategizing with community partners, developing a detailed financing plan and governance structure for the land trust, and building community support throughout Oakland, the Oakland Community Land Trust was awarded $5.025 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding from the City of Oakland.

By acquiring and rehabilitating vacant foreclosed homes, the community land trust model will help stabilize struggling Oakland neighborhoods and provide affordable homeownership opportunities for working families in Oakland.  In early 2010, OakCLT acquired its first bank-owned foreclosure, officially launching our NSP Homeownership Project.