The Second Year of Central Iowa Community Land Trust: Status Update

In case you missed it last night the Central Iowa Community Land Trust (CICLT) hosted at Status Update for the community on the work the CICLT has done in the last two years and our future plans as we continue to grow and develop as an organization. Despite the storms, we had a nice turnout and a great discussion about the CICLT during our Q&A. Thank you to everyone who attended our event and is as excited as we are about this important work to bring more accessible and affordable homeownership to the CICLT Service Area

Why Do We Need The Central Iowa Community Land Trust?

Program Manager, Jaqueline Chico started the meeting by giving a high level overview of how the Central Iowa Community Land Trust works. Traditional market prices and high housing costs prevent many low- and moderate-income working families from ever purchasing a home. ​The CICLT creates a reliable pathway to homeownership by creating:

• Access: Lower upfront purchase prices and reduced monthly housing costs make entry into homeownership realistic. ​

• Stability & Wealth Building: Provides fixed monthly costs, eliminates landlord uncertainty, lowers foreclosure risk, and enables families to build equity and stability over time. ​

• Impact That Lasts:​ Unlike standard buyer-subsidy programs where affordability expires after the first sale, CICLT locks in affordability forever. ​One-time public or donor investments permanently benefit family after family, stabilizing whole neighborhoods and preventing displacement and providing low foreclosure rates through ongoing buyer support .

Year 2

The CICLT is currently in year 2 of our multi-year strategic pipeline and actively meeting our organizational benchmarks. We are refining policies and procedures on our initial pilot homes so that our operational foundation is rock-solid before scaling up housing volume across Central Iowa.​ We have successfully held our First Annual Membership Meeting to adopt founding bylaws and elect our 2026 Board of Directors, had the first three homes come into the land trust, and we will have our adopted policies and processes tested for the first time with our first homebuyer! A wonderful family of five is scheduled to close on our Oak Park home by early October.

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The buyer shared: ​"There’s so many things I love!! To name a few things I love the most, would be the open concept from the kitchen to the living room and the large dining room for family dinners. Having laundry on the main floor is definitely a plus too. But most importantly, everyone gets their own bedroom, which we’re all really excited about!” ​

Looking forward, we are expanding our reach across Central Iowa. We are evaluating potential acquisitions based on neighborhood revitalization needs, long-term appreciation potential, and community impact. Our priority will be matching ready buyers from our pipeline with upcoming homeownership opportunities while perfecting our process. ​

The Power of Partnerships

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Our progress isn't made in isolation. It relies on key partners who share our commitment to long-term community stability. We are grateful to all our partners and look forward to creating new partnerships to fuel more housing opportunities and stability in Central Iowa. Among our partners, HOME, Inc. has been vital to our journey, not only serving as our operational steward as the CICLT stands up on its own, but also directly expanding housing opportunities in our community.

HOME, Inc.'s Executive Director, Carrie Woerdeman, spoke about how their decision to serve as the operational steward for the CICLT was an easy yes. Knowing that permanent affordability is the key to breaking cycle-after-cycle housing displacement. Serving as the operational steward to help launch the CICLT has been a natural alignment for them. By providing back-office stewardship and operational capacity, they are giving the CICLT the runway it needs to become a fully independent, thriving organization for Central Iowa​.

But the partnership goes far beyond administrative support, it is directly tied to expanding the housing supply. Over the next 2 to 3 years, HOME, Inc. has 66 homeownership units planned in their development pipeline, and 51 of those homes will be placed directly into the CICLT portfolio! ​

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Building the home is only half the equation; setting up families for long-term success is the rest. As a HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency, HOME, Inc. provides comprehensive pre-purchase counseling and homebuyer education to guide buyers in the CICLT. Even after closing, they will provide post-purchase counseling and maintenance support to ensure our new homeowners thrive for years to come​!

Bringing Permanent Affordability to West Des Moines

Chico then spoke more about the CICLT's home pipeline and another project with the City of West Des Moines, a local veteran owned contractor called FourEver Homes, and HOME, Inc. which would bring two new homes in West Des Moines into the CICLT, ensuring they remain affordable for generations to come.​ These will be the first WDM homes in the CICLT!

In West Des Moines, a local property owner approached the City of West Des Moines seeking ways to help create affordable homeownership opportunities within her community. In response, the City Council approved a partnership with HOME Inc. and the CICLT to make this vision a reality.​

Through this collaboration, the City has agreed to reimburse HOME Inc. for the acquisition of the property, demolish the existing one-bedroom, one-bathroom home, split the lot, and create two new homeownership opportunities on the site.

In addition, FourEver Homes stepped forward with a shared commitment to expanding affordable homeownership opportunities. To help make the project financially feasible and the home affordable for homebuyers, he has agreed to build the homes and waive his general contractor fees.​

This project is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when a municipality, nonprofit organization, builder, and community member come together around a common goal. Through the Community Land Trust model, these partners are transforming a shared vision into lasting affordable homeownership opportunities that will benefit the community for years to come.​

How to Support the CICLT

Finally, Chico wrapped up the presentation with a call to action and gave three big ways to support the CICLT right now:

1. Help spread awareness of the CICLT and the available home opportunities that exist because of it

2. Donate to help us make homes affordable forever. All the homes in the CICLT will remain accessible homeownership opportunities forever. A donation to the CICLT will work to make homeownership more accessible for not only homebuyers today but for homebuyers for generations to come!

   1. If you are interested in making a more complex donation (donating land, homes, etc.) please contact us to learn more about that process.

3. Attend your City Council meetings! Help us expand the mission and reach of the CICLT by advocating for more accessible and affordable homeownership opportunities and and permanent solutions in your city. Tell them you want to see the CICLT in your city!