About

about US

Who We Are

Mt. Tam Community Land Trust (CLT) is comprised of a dedicated board on a mission to ensure the communities that neighbor Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County, CA are sustainable, racially equitable, and thriving communities for decades to come. Through government grants, public funding, and private donations we are securing housing options for those key members of our communities that have lost the ability to secure attainable housing.

We acknowledge with respect that our community land trust operates on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people in Marin County, California.

| Mt. Tam Community Land Trust, Marin County, California | Mt. TAM CLT| Row of houses

Our Mission

Work with our communities to identify, create, and sustain opportunities for long-term attainable rental housing and homeownership. Mt. Tam CLT provides the mechanism; our towns and cities provide the will.

Our Vision

We are a local non-profit that uses established CLT models of rental and homeownership to create stable long-term attainable housing solutions for our towns and cities. We work to own and manage a portfolio of properties that might otherwise not exist, or that are at risk of becoming significantly less accessible.

Our Values

Function-ability
Attainability
Community
Sustainability

Mt. Tam Community Land Trust, Marin County, California | Mt. TAM CLT | Young couple with a baby

Mt. Tam Community Land Trust, Marin County, California | Mt. TAM CLT | Wood sided home with garden of various flowers in front.

Our Focus

Workforce Housing — tailored to meet the needs of moderate-income individuals or families, providing stable and affordable homeownership opportunities while maintaining community control and long-term affordability.
Senior Living — affordable and supportive housing options specifically designed to meet the unique needs of older adults, ensuring they can remain in their homes and communities as they age.
Accessory Dwelling Units — integrating secondary residential units into the land trust’s affordable housing strategy, facilitating increased housing density, multi-generational living arrangements, and additional income streams for homeowners, while upholding the principles of affordability, community stewardship, and equitable access to housing.

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About Us

Our Why

As housing prices have increased in recent years, fewer local employees can afford to live in Marin County. We believe that the community benefits when people can live where they work. With the Mt. Tam CLT, we can provide equitable and attainable housing to our county’s lower and moderate-income workers so they can live within our community.

We are dedicated to the development and acquisition of permanently attainable housing for low and moderate-income individuals and families through the CLT. By keeping these individuals and families within the community we will ensure a vibrant and diverse community for the future.

Why a Community Land Trust?

of Marin’s school staff cannot afford to rent even a studio until 10 years into their teaching career. Retention and recruitment of educators who make our schools high-quality is difficult.

of seniors in Marin live below the poverty line and account for an increasing % of our homeless numbers. Many struggle to pay for utilities, maintenance and taxes and are forced to move out of their lifelong community.

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Marin County ranks amongst the top 3 counties in California with the widest gaps in economic and racial equity.

of Marin’s workforce lives outside the County. Long commutes contribute to traffic congestion and air pollution. Local businesses can’t recruit or retain needed staff.

is what renters in Marin County need to make an hour to afford an average monthly rent of $2806. That’s 3.5 times California’s minimum wage. A medical emergency or rent increase can push hard-working families into homelessness.

(Sources: Marin Promise Partnership, County of Marin, Marin Environmental Housing Coalition, California Housing Partnership, Racecounts.org)

Attainable

Community Assets

Stewardship

About Us

What is a CLT

A community land trust (CLT) is a nonprofit organization that works to acquire and hold land for the benefit of a community. The primary goal of a CLT is to provide affordable housing, though they may also support other community needs such as urban agriculture, commercial spaces, or conservation areas.

Here’s how it typically works:

Property Ownership:

The CLT purchases properties, often through donations, grants, or government funding.

Rental Model:

Entire multi unit buildings and their land are held in the trust ensuring stewardship and long-term affordable rental opportunities for key community members.

Ownership Model:

The CLT retains ownership of the land while leasing it out to individuals or organizations for a long period, typically 99 years, at very low cost. On the leased land, individuals or families can build or own homes. The CLT ensures that these homes remain affordable by placing restrictions on resale prices.