Saratoga Community Housing is a part of the HELP Network on South Whidbey Island and provides affordable housing opportunities for lower to moderate income residents in Island County.

The Community Land Trust (CLT) Model is the key to the program developed by Saratoga Community Housing.  A CLT is a non-profit organization created to hold land for the benefit of a community and those individuals within the community. Board members are elected for limited terms, so the community retains ultimate control of the organization and the land it owns.

The CLT acquires land through purchase or donation with an intention to retain title in perpetuity, thus removing the land from the speculative market. Homes built on this land help individuals and families who would otherwise be squeezed out of the housing market due to their income level.

Island County Habitat for Humanity has been involved in building some of the homes in the land trust. They hope to be able to build 6-8 homes on Whidbey Island every year.

Since the property is sold without title to the underlying property; appreciation is tied only to the value of the home. This feature of a land trust preserves affordability into the future. The home is more affordable since you are not buying the land.

Saratoga Community Housing  will work with prospective home buyers. They will provide a plan for raising a down payment (typically 10-20%) and they will help in the establishment or repair of credit (620+ credit scores are needed).   The recession has pushed home values down so homes may be available for $200,000 rather than the $350,000 that it used to be.

It is important for the people who work in our communities to have homes. Home owners and their families have a more vested interest in their community if that is the case. Over the last decade, housing costs in Island County have skyrocketed. Unfortunately, incomes have not kept pace. Everyday people, from hardworking families to seniors living on fixed incomes, cannot afford to own a home in the community in which they work. Community Land Trusts make home ownership affordable.

Orcas Island is one example of an area with little in the way of affordable housing. Nurses, teachers and emergency medical technicians are important to the community and this is where the CLT comes into play.

Remember, the land beneath the home belongs to the trust. The land is leased to the home owner for a nominal fee through a long-term (99), renewable and inheritable lease.

Not all of the properties are new. The photo below is the first home that was donated to the trust by Nancy Nordhoff.

CLTs get people into the door of an attainable home. The original investment from the community makes possible a transition from renting to owning, and the equity built through ownership can be applied to future home purchases in the traditional market.

This home was recently completed at the Frostad Pond location in Oak Harbor.

Homes are available with payments as low as $550 per month. The monthly principal, interest, tax and insurance payment is based on the home price and the household’s income.

The stable and secure housing made possible by the land trusts enables many individuals and families to invest in their own future, improve their financial status and positively contribute to the economic development of the community.

Land trusts are serious about sustainability. These communities are designed to make the most of the land while preserving green space. Also, when people can live where they work, commuting and its negative effects on both the individual and community are reduce.

Eligibility requirements and the application process for Saratoga Community Housing can be accessed by clicking here.

Let’s all make sure to get the word out; this is a wonderful program that nurtures our community and those who live in it.

Good Cheer!