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Building Community: How One Land Trust Is Fighting Gentrification in West Philly

Writer's picture: Nicole IgarashiNicole Igarashi



Community Land Trusts (CLTs) play a vital role in fostering sustainable and affordable housing. CLTs are nonprofit organizations that acquire land to develop housing and meet various community needs while ensuring permanent affordability. Residents actively engage in creating CLTs to own land in their neighborhoods, securing a lasting impact on affordable housing

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These trusts operate on the principle of collective ownership, aiming to prevent gentrification and maintain the socio-economic fabric of communities. By allowing local communities to manage their resources, CLTs empower residents and contribute to the overall well-being of neighborhoods.

The Oasis Center Project


One Art Community Center in Philadelphia is raising money to establish a land trust. In 2019 a 115 year old Church burned down. The lot where that church once stood is now for sale.


Concerned about gentrification, the Community at One Art sprang into action.


They have launched an aggressive campaign to raise three million dollars towards acquiring the property.


They promise to build a thriving land trust housing their vision for an "Urban Eco-Arts Villiage."


One Art Community Center serves over 10,000 individuals annually as a Black-owned and family-run non-profit. Their commitment extends beyond cultural and creative expression, fostering a sense of community, joy, and well-being.


They host activities like educational initiatives, wellness programming, and community events that contribute to the enrichment of the local community. Your support, regardless of size, directly fuels the expansion of impactful projects, making a tangible difference in the lives of those they serve.


Donate to the Oasis Project HERE.

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© 2024 by Nicole Igarashi

We are based on the ancestral home of the Lenape,  who have stewarded this land through generations.

We recognize that our presence here today is the result of the ongoing exclusions and erasures of Indigenous peoples, who were the original inhabitants of this territory.

We acknowledge the legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and disease that bring us together here.

 

We are committed to the ongoing understanding of our role in this history and to supporting these displaced indigenous communities in whatever way possible. 

Click HERE to donate to the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania. 

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