Providing sustainable and affordable homeownership for all

Kôr Community Land Trust (CLT) was formed in 2014 with a mission to provide environmentally sustainable and permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for those who contribute to the fabric of the Bend area economy and community.

Many of the folks who constitute our workforce in Bend cannot afford housing here, forcing them be rent burdened or live in more affordable neighboring communities and commute. This not only creates a transportation challenge, but limits many of the educational, career, and community opportunities that come with living in Bend.

Kôr’s programs serve qualifying households making 50-120% of the Area Median Income. The households that stand to benefit from their programs consist of our public service workers, teachers, grocers, medical personnel, servers, construction workers, those who work in retail, and many more. These folks are the backbone of our community, but they are often priced out of homeownership.

What is a Community Land Trust?
Traditionally, Community Land Trust programs provide privately owned dwellings that sit on community or trust owned land.  A CLT obtains land and holds it in perpetuity for the purpose of affordable housing. The trust develops homes on the land and sells them to qualifying applicants.  The homeowner has a 99-year lease on the land that their home sits on. The land lease gives the homeowner the rights to use the land, but it also gives the trust the right to deed restrict the sale of the dwelling. When the home is sold, the land lease outlines a shared equity resale formula. Upon sale, the homeowner takes some equity and the remainder of the equity stays with the trust in order to sell the home as affordable with each sale, not just the first. This is a permanent and proven affordable housing solution.

What is Kôr working on?
Kôr’s first project will be developed on a 0.5-acre parcel located at SE 27th and Hurita Place. The joint venture plans to use Bend’s Cottage Code to create five single-family residences. The homes will be built using conscious practices and will be goal net-zero energy. The two-bedroom, tw-bath units are anticipated to be ready for purchase in the second half of 2019. For more information visit www.korlandtrust.org or email Kôr at .