OakCLT

What OakCLT does

OakCLT (Oakland Community Land Trust), founded in 2009 and incorporated as a California nonprofit, operates a Community Land Trust (CLT) model to provide permanently affordable homeownership and rental housing in Oakland. It acquires small-site residential and mixed-use properties (≤25 units), retains land ownership through a ground-lease structure, and sells the improvements to income-qualified households at roughly 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), with current pricing of $247,000 for two-bedroom and $264,000 for three-bedroom homes against an Oakland median near $700,000. Buyers enter a resale-restricted shared-equity arrangement with deed-restricted affordability; OakCLT reports no foreclosures or delinquencies on its homeownership loans. The portfolio comprises approximately 50 units across scattered-site single-family homes, mixed-use buildings (e.g., Liberated 23rd Ave, Hasta Muerte Coffee Building), transitional housing (Mom's House, Harvest House), and live-work artist studios (E24 Community Studios) moving toward cooperative ownership.

The organization is funded through a hybrid of foundation grants (San Francisco Foundation, The California Endowment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Kataly Foundation, Common Counsel Foundation, Catholic Campaign for Human Development), municipal capital (Oakland's $12M Preservation of Affordable Housing Fund, Measure KK bond proceeds), individual donations (one-time, recurring, planned giving, stock, real estate), and limited resale revenue. Distribution and origination run through an 8-phase direct application process requiring HUD-approved homebuyer education, mortgage pre-approval from approved lenders (Guild Mortgage, Tomo Mortgage, Diversified Mortgage Group), and partnership with HUD-certified housing counseling agencies. Strategic alliances with ACCE, Bay Area CLT, Northern California Land Trust, Grounded Solutions Network, Moms 4 Housing, and the City of Oakland underpin acquisitions and policy advocacy.

A 7-person staff executes operations under tripartite governance (lessee, community, and organizational directors with at least one-third low-income resident representation). Acquisition due-diligence, preservation activity, and resident stewardship are conducted in-house, while long-term ground-lease management and resale administration create a recurring stewardship relationship with each homeowner. Non-transactional revenue mechanics (grants + donations) dominate the P&L, with resale activity functioning primarily as a mission deliverable and a modest capital-recycling mechanism rather than a profit driver.

Name

OakCLT

Legal name

Oakland Community Land Trust

Website

https://oakclt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OakCLT is a 2009-founded Oakland nonprofit community land trust that acquires small-site properties, retains land via ground leases, and sells homes at 80% AMI to income-qualified buyers for permanent affordability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing / Community Land Trust Services

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Housing Property Management (BPAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Community land trust
• Affordable housing preservation
• Shared-equity homeownership
• Anti-displacement housing
• Permanently affordable housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Homeownership Sales: OakCLT sells homes to income-qualified buyers at below-market prices, retaining land ownership through ground leases. Homes are priced at 80% AMI levels (e.g., $247,000-$264,000 for recent offerings) compared to Oakland median values near $700,000.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts one-time and recurring donations, stock donations, planned giving (bequests), and gifts of real estate. They also facilitate donor-advised fund contributions.
3. Grants and Public/Private Funding: OakCLT receives funding from foundations (The San Francisco Foundation, The California Endowment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, etc.), government sources (City of Oakland, Measure KK bond funds), and financial institutions for property acquisitions and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OakCLT preserves and stewards permanently affordable housing in Oakland through a community land trust ground lease model. The organization sells shared-equity homes to households at or below 80% of Area Median Income, partners with at-risk tenants in small (≤25 unit) buildings to acquire properties through tenant-led campaigns, and develops cooperative ownership models. As of the most recent data, OakCLT has stewarded nearly 50 units including single-family homes, mixed-use buildings, live-work artist studios, and transitional housing across Oakland neighborhoods.

Product overview

OakCLT operates as a community land trust offering shared-equity homeownership and housing preservation services. Its portfolio includes: Scattered Site Single-Family Homes (permanently affordable homeownership via NSP program), mixed-use properties (Hasta Muerte Coffee Building), transitional housing (Mom's House operated by Moms 4 Housing, Harvest House for women/children), live-work studios (E24 Community Studios in cooperative development), and the Liberated 23rd Ave community hub. Services include a structured 8-step homeownership application process for households at or below 80% AMI, and a small multi-unit building acquisition program partnering with at-risk tenants. All properties are held in trust with land removed from speculative market, ensuring permanent affordability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Preservation cost of $250K per unit vs. $600K new construction cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots community organizing partner instrumental in OakCLT's founding and ongoing advocacy for tenant rights. Collaborated on $12M PAHF campaign. ACCE member-leader Norma Sanchez served as CLT resident representative.
• Bay Area Community Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional CLT consortium partner. Bay Area CLT collaboration on small-site acquisition models, anti-displacement strategies, and hosted Intersections 2017 conference with 500+ attendees.
• Northern California Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional CLT partner collaborating on East Bay anti-displacement and small-site acquisition models. Joint sessions on affordable housing cooperatives at conferences.
• Grounded Solutions NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organization for CLTs and shared equity housing. OakCLT hosted their Intersections 2017 conference (500+ attendees). OakCLT featured in Grounded Solutions publications and policy work.
• Youth Employment Partnership (YEP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing alliance where YEP rehabilitates or constructs single-family homes through their construction training program for young people, with homes included in OakCLT's homeownership program.
• Hasta Muerte Coffee (Worker Cooperative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorker-owned cooperative that partnered with OakCLT to acquire their building at Fruitvale Ave. OakCLT provided $600K+ community investment structure. Commercial space permanently available for community-serving organizations.
• Moms 4 HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective of Black mothers who occupied vacant West Oakland home. OakCLT negotiated purchase with Wedgewood, completed rehabilitation, and now operates Mom's House as transitional housing managed by Moms 4 Housing.
• Peacock RebellioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueer and trans people of color arts collective located at 23rd Avenue Community Building. Part of the #Liberate23rdAve campaign and resident-led cooperative development.
• The BikerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity bike shop located in 23rd Avenue Community Building. Commercial tenant since the building's early days, part of resident-led acquisition effort.
• Asian Pacific Environmental NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in Bay Area housing and environmental justice organizing efforts.
• Right to the City AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational alliance of community organizations working for housing justice. OakCLT participates in coalition policy advocacy at national level.
• Sogorea Te' Land TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous land trust doing rematriation work on Chochenyo Ohlone land. OakCLT acknowledges housing work takes place on unceded Indigenous land and recommends supporting Sogorea Te' land trust.
• Diversified Mortgage GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOakCLT-approved lender for homeownership financing. Contact: Sam Forbes.
• Guild Mortgage CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOakCLT-approved lender for homeownership financing. Contact: Sandra Smith (Walnut Creek branch).
• Tomo Mortgage CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOakCLT-approved lender for homeownership financing. Contact: Ted Volynets.
• A-1 Community Housing ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHUD-certified housing counseling agency providing pre-purchase education required for OakCLT homeownership applicants.
• Richmond NHScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHUD-certified housing counseling agency providing pre-purchase education required for OakCLT homeownership applicants.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BRIDGE Housing: California-focused affordable housing developer and operator that produces and manages affordable rental and ownership housing statewide. Relevant as a same-state affordable housing incumbent serving similar low-income Oakland-area populations.
• Mercy Housing: Major national affordable housing provider combining rental and some shared-equity ownership. Comparable as a large nonprofit affordable housing operator but focused primarily on multifamily rental rather than CLT ground-lease homeownership.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National affordable housing intermediary deploying capital, policy, and technical assistance to community developers and CLTs. Comparable as a funder/capacity builder that operates in the same CLT ecosystem as OakCLT.
• Habitat for Humanity: National affordable homeownership nonprofit with a CLT/shared-equity affiliate program (Habitat ReClaims). Overlaps with OakCLT on subsidized homeownership for low-income households but operates at much greater scale and without the small-site anti-displacement focus.

Others

• Grounded Solutions Network: National membership and policy organization for CLTs and shared-equity housing programs, of which OakCLT is a member and which OakCLT hosted for Intersections 2017. Related ecosystem enabler rather than a direct acquirer/operator peer.

Direct peers

• City of Lakes Community Land Trust: Minneapolis-based CLT operating a shared-equity homeownership and rental stewardship model aimed at preventing displacement of low-income households — directly analogous to OakCLT's mission and acquisition playbook.
• Bay Area Community Land Trust: Named partner of OakCLT in the regional Bay Area CLT consortium; pursues the same shared-equity CLT model across the Bay Area, making it the closest same-region peer for collaboration and pipeline overlap.
• Champlain Housing Trust: The largest and longest-running community land trust in the United States, based in Burlington, VT. Operates the same shared-equity, ground-lease homeownership + rental stewardship model and is the de facto reference CLT for any organization like OakCLT.
• Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative: Boston-based community-led CLT and equitable development organization that acquired vacant land and stewarded community-owned housing. Directly comparable to OakCLT's small-site, resident-controlled acquisition approach and tripartite community governance.

Emerging players

• Miami-Dade CLT (T.R.U.S.T. South / related entity): Florida-based CLTs pursuing shared-equity homeownership in gentrifying neighborhoods; operate with similar small-site acquisition and stewardship playbooks on a smaller, more regional scale than OakCLT.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oakclt
• Facebookfacebook.com/OakCLT

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OakCLT