On Thursday, March 5, Building a Better SLO welcomes Ofelia Bello, Program Director of Community Owned Real Estate at EPACANDO and Pahali Community Land Trust, for a timely conversation on Community Land Trusts (CLTs), an innovative and increasingly relevant model for expanding long-term housing affordability.
Drawing on her hands-on experience in East Palo Alto, Ofelia will explain how community land trusts work, the benefits of the CLT model and share real-world examples of projects that preserve affordable homeownership for local residents. CLTs are nonprofit organizations that hold land in perpetuity on behalf of the community, helping ensure housing remains affordable across generations through long-term ground leases.
Ofelia will also highlight the work of Pahali Community Land Trust, whose mission of “placekeeping for the local placekeepers” focuses on housing stability and community stewardship. With a background in housing justice, tenant rights organizing and public policy, and prior service on the East Palo Alto Planning Commission, Ofelia brings deep insight into how communities can gain greater control over their housing future.
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