(Above) SWSWCLT Founder Dan Buckenmeyer and Portage, Michigan Housing Resource Specialist Anita Johnson celebrate the ribbon cutting for Stanwood Crossings. This CLT community will bring 42 new affordable workforce homes to the Kalamazoo suburb.
Nonprofit agencies that exist to serve their communities and residents should collaborate and work in concert to achieve mission success.
In many years of professional experience, I’ve never seen an environment that is more cooperative, helpful and generally welcoming to new players than the Community Land Trust ecosystem.
When I was first introduced to Community Land Trusts at a Regional Housing Conference in early 2025, it was through an informative presentation on CLTs from Jay White from Frankfort’s Benzie Housing Trust, and Dakota Riehl of ICCF Community Land Trust in Grand Rapids. Since that presentation, both Jay and Dakota and their respective organizations have been invaluable resources. Moreover, their willingness to provide information and assistance is unprecedented. Jay even co-presented with me to the Pokagon Fund, who subsequently agreed to fund much of our SWSWCLT startup activities.
Dakota leads the Michigan CLT Coalition, which I immediately became active with. In late 2025 I spent a week with CLT leaders from an even wider geography at the Midwest CLT Conference in Madison. Again, I’ve never found myself in such a welcoming, collaborative and helpful environment in any other industry I’ve been associated with. My learning curve and our pace of progress at SWSWCLT would not have been possible without all of the help we’ve received from these fellow CLT leaders.
I’ve been working to pay it forward, even if all I can be is a cheerleader. I’ve supported the efforts of Dwelling Place, an affordable housing nonprofit out of Grand Rapids, as they work to bring CLT homes to the Overton Redevelopment Site in downtown South Haven.
I encourage my colleagues and friends in the South Haven area to join me in supporting their efforts.
On April 10th, I traveled to Portage, just south of Kalamazoo, to cheer on one of Michigan’s newest CLTs. The City formed the Portage Community Land Trust (PCLT) and is already well on its way to building 42 new, affordable workforce homes. It was wonderful to see the hard work my friend Anita Johnson and her team have done there, and a joy to meet some of the folks who will be moving into their new CLT homes.
CLTs work. CLTs make a real impact on communities where they are built. Not just for the direct homebuyers, but for the health and diversity of the community around them. Studies have shown that CLT homes and communities have a positive impact on the property values of surrounding homes and communities.
Support your local Community Land Trust.