Elevation CLT
Elevation Community Land Trust is a Colorado nonprofit that creates permanently affordable homeownership for low- and moderate-income households by retaining land ownership and selling homes under 99-year ground leases at 30-50% below market prices, across roughly 15 Colorado communities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Elevation CLT does
Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) is a Colorado-incorporated nonprofit operating the community land trust (CLT) model to create permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households. The organization acquires or develops land, retains ownership of the underlying real estate, and sells the homes themselves to income-qualified buyers under a 99-year renewable ground lease at prices 30-50% below market rate (units range from $205,000 for 1-bedroom condos to $340,000 for new-construction 3-bedroom single-family homes). ECLT also operates supplementary programs including DOORS to Opportunity ($50,000+ down payment assistance for open-market purchases), the Stay In Place Program (SIPP) for foreclosure/displacement prevention, and Saving Toward Equity Program (STEP), as well as fee-based Affordability Management Services for external developers and municipalities seeking CLT stewardship.
ECLT's core technology is structural rather than software-based: the CLT land-ownership/ground-lease architecture, which legally separates land from home value and applies resale restrictions that preserve affordability in perpetuity, supplemented by a PayHOA homeowner portal for ongoing resident management. Revenue derives from three streams: one-time home sales (units acquired/developed and resold below market), recurring land lease fees of approximately $100 per month per home in the ECLT portfolio, and professional-services revenue from administering affordability covenants on behalf of partner land trusts and public agencies. ECLT sells through an application-based qualification process supported by a network of participating lenders, DOORS-certified realtors, and developer partners (including Invalesco Real Estate, Brinkmann Constructors, Studio Completiva, and Fading West of Buena Vista).
Elevation CLT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elevation CLT
- Legal name
- Elevation Community Land Trust
- Website
- https://elevationclt.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Elevation Community Land Trust is a Colorado nonprofit that creates permanently affordable homeownership for low- and moderate-income households by retaining land ownership and selling homes under 99-year ground leases at 30-50% below market prices, across roughly 15 Colorado communities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elevation CLT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Affordable Housing Services
- NAICS
- Residential Property Managers (531311)
- SIC
- Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
Keywords
Where Elevation CLT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Elevation CLT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Home Sales Revenue: ECLT sells homes to qualified buyers at below-market prices. The organization acquires, develops, or partners with developers to create affordable housing units.
- Land Lease Fees: Homeowners pay a monthly land lease fee (approximately $100/month) for the underlying land that ECLT retains ownership of.
- Affordability Management Services: ECLT provides in-house affordability management as a direct service to mission-aligned partners, including administration and enforcement of long-term affordability requirements, resale review, compliance oversight, and homeowner stewardship.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Affordable condos starting at $205,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Townhomes priced $255,000-$290,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level homes $205,000-$275,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium townhomes $290,000-$305,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | New construction single-family homes $340,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Elevation CLT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) is a Colorado nonprofit that acquires and retains ownership of land while selling income-qualified, below-market homes to buyers under 99-year renewable ground leases, creating permanently affordable homeownership. Its offerings include standard CLT homes for sale, the DOORS to Opportunity open-market down payment assistance program, the Stay In Place Program (SIPP) for at-risk homeowners, the Saving Toward Equity Program (STEP), and fee-based Affordability Management Services for external developers, municipalities, and mission-aligned partners.
Product overview
Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) is a Colorado nonprofit that operates a community land trust model to create permanently affordable homeownership opportunities. The core product is the CLT Model where ECLT owns the land and sells homes to income-qualified buyers through 99-year ground leases. This is complemented by multiple program pathways: ECLT Homes for Sale (standard inventory of renovated and new construction homes available on a waitlist basis), DOORS to Opportunity (buyer-choice program offering $50,000+ down payment assistance for open-market purchases), Stay In Place Program/SIPP (foreclosure/displacement prevention), and Saving Toward Equity Program/STEP. ECLT also offers Affordability Management Services for external developers and municipalities seeking CLT stewardship. Named developments include The Burrell (Denver Five Points condos from $205,000), BirdWhistle (Fort Collins townhomes from $255,000), and the Durango Twin Buttes project.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DOORS to Opportunity: A buyer-choice program offering $50,000 or more in down payment assistance to help qualified homebuyers purchase open market homes.
- Stay In Place Program (SIPP)
- Saving Toward Equity Program (STEP)
Products and services
- ECLT Homes for Sale Affordable homes for sale through Elevation CLT's community land trust model. ECLT owns the land while buyers own the house, keeping housing costs stable. Homes are available to income-qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified waitlist members.
- DOORS to Opportunity Buyer-choice program offering $50,000 or more in down payment assistance to help qualified applicants purchase open-market homes. After qualifying through the standard ECLT application process, participants work with a DOORS-certified realtor to find homes within their max purchase price.
- Stay In Place Program (SIPP) Program designed for homeowners at risk of foreclosure or displacement, offering new options to stay in their homes and communities. Managed in partnership with WDRC.
- Saving Toward Equity Program (STEP) Pathway to homeownership that helps families save toward equity building opportunities through ECLT's shared-equity model.
- Affordability Management Services ECLT provides in-house affordability management services to support permanent affordability and responsible stewardship for developers, public agencies, local governments, mission-driven housing organizations, and land trusts. Services include administration of affordability requirements, resale review, compliance monitoring, and homeowner support.
- Community Land Trust (CLT) Model ECLT's foundational model where the nonprofit acquires land and sells homes to income-qualified individuals while retaining ownership of the underlying land through 99-year leases. This separation ensures land remains affordable and helps low-income buyers build wealth through equity and shared market appreciation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Home prices 30-50% below market rate through land lease separation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Elevation CLT
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Elevation CLT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Elevation CLT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- HomesFundcoreAffordable housing organization that sold Triangle Trailer Park to ECLT for $800,000. HomesFund had purchased Triangle to prevent displacement and later transferred ownership to ECLT to enable the CLT model of permanent homeownership.
- Invalesco Real EstatecoreDevelopment partner for The Burrell affordable housing project in Denver's Five Points neighborhood. ECLT partnered with Invalesco Real Estate along with Brinkmann Constructors and Studio Completiva to develop the project honoring Charles Burrell's legacy.
- Brinkmann ConstructorscoreConstruction partner for The Burrell development in Denver's Five Points neighborhood. Brinkmann Constructors worked with ECLT and development partners to build the affordable housing project.
- Studio CompletivacoreDesign partner for The Burrell development, contributing to the architectural vision for the affordable housing project named after legendary musician Charles Burrell.
- Twin Buttes of Durango, Inc. (TBDI)coreDonated 271 Twin Buttes Ave. (former Animas High School site) to the city of Durango, which transferred ownership to ECLT for development of 30 affordable housing units.
- Fading West of Buena VistacoreModular homes builder contracted to develop units at the former Animas High School site in Durango. Will construct townhomes and stand-alone units for ECLT's affordable housing project.
- City of DurangocoreMunicipal partner working with ECLT on annexation of Westside and Triangle Mobile Home Parks, utility access (particularly city water to replace expensive well water), and the Twin Buttes Housing Compliance Agreement for 30 affordable units.
- CHFA (Colorado Housing and Finance Authority)coreRequired homebuyer education provider for ECLT applicants. ECLT requires applicants to complete CHFA Homebuyer Education Course as part of the qualification process.
- Participating LenderscoreNetwork of approved lenders who provide mortgage products specifically designed for ECLT buyers, including favorable DTI ratios (up to 35% housing DTI with 700+ credit score) and integration with down payment assistance programs.
- Listing AgentscoreCertified real estate agents who list ECLT properties and work with qualified buyers through the purchase process, using ECLT-compatible contract templates.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Elevation CLT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing owner/operator of over 90,000 homes across 40+ states. While predominantly rental, it overlaps with ECLT in mission, funder relationships, and affordable-unit stewardship services.
- Habitat for Humanity International: The dominant US nonprofit affordable homeownership operator, with affiliated local Habitat organizations (including in Colorado) producing affordable for-sale homes at scale, though typically without the resale-permanence CLT mechanism.
- Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that finances and develops affordable housing across many states and product types, often partnering with local CLTs. Shares the build-and-hold-for-affordability thesis but operates multifamily rather than CLT ground-lease homes.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI that finances and incubates local affordable housing nonprofits and CLTs, including providing predevelopment and acquisition capital ECLT would tap. Comparable funder/intermediary role to peer CLTs.
Others
- Grounded Solutions Network: National membership and certification body for CLTs and shared-equity programs (314 members cited in ECLT's impact data). Provides capacity-building, technical assistance, and certification referenced implicitly by ECLT's positioning.
- NeighborWorks America: Congressionally chartered nonprofit that funds and trains a national network of affordable housing and community development organizations, including local CLTs. Adjacent capacity-builder relevant to ECLT's funder and partner ecosystem.
Direct peers
- BRIDGE Housing Corporation: California-based nonprofit affordable housing developer/owner with explicit shared-equity CLT components alongside larger multifamily developments. Comparable mission scope between ownership and stewardship of permanently affordable homes.
- Champlain Housing Trust: The largest community land trust in the United States, operating the same dual product of CLT-ground-leased resale-restricted homes plus shared-equity programs across Vermont. Highly comparable to ECLT's model, scale ambition, and stewardship services portfolio.
- Urban Land Conservancy: Denver-based nonprofit that acquires and holds land for affordable housing and community uses, often partnering with CLTs to add resale-restricted homes. Operates in the same Colorado geography with the same land-tenure-for-affordability thesis as ECLT.
- Atlanta Land Trust: Nonprofit CLT in a high-cost Sun Belt market using the 99-year ground lease model to produce permanently affordable homeownership for low-moderate income households. Directly comparable structure and buyer-qualification approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Elevation CLT social profiles
Digital presenceElevation CLT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elevation CLT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Elevation CLT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elevation CLT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Elevation CLT
What does Elevation CLT do?
Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) is a Colorado nonprofit that acquires and retains ownership of land while selling income-qualified, below-market homes to buyers under 99-year renewable ground leases, creating permanently affordable homeownership. Its offerings include standard CLT homes for sale, the DOORS to Opportunity open-market down payment assistance program, the Stay In Place Program (SIPP) for at-risk homeowners, the Saving Toward Equity Program (STEP), and fee-based Affordability Management Services for external developers, municipalities, and mission-aligned partners.
Is Elevation CLT a public or private company?
Elevation CLT is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Elevation CLT founded?
Elevation CLT was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Elevation CLT based?
Elevation CLT is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Elevation CLT make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Home Sales Revenue is the primary driver. The others are land Lease Fees and affordability Management Services.
Who are Elevation CLT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mercy Housing, Habitat for Humanity International, Enterprise Community Partners and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Others are Grounded Solutions Network and NeighborWorks America. Direct peers are BRIDGE Housing Corporation, Champlain Housing Trust, Urban Land Conservancy and Atlanta Land Trust.
Does Elevation CLT have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elevation CLT.
What industry is Elevation CLT in?
Elevation CLT's product category is Affordable Housing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 531311 and its SIC code is 6532.