In September 2020, SOA took part in the SHICC capitalisation get together at the ZK/U Centre for Art and Urbanistics in Berlin in September. It was a great opportunity to finally meet those partners who were able to travel, and to hear from those who weren’t via video link.
In a Pecha Kucha round, the nine SHICC partners presented a diversity of approaches to projects from across Europe.
- Established CLTs such as CLTB in Brussels are not only being entrusted with more affordable housing projects, they are experimenting with structures that can include community infrastructure, social economy enterprise and different approaches to housing.
- Likewise, CLT Gent have established a community grocery and start on site soon with their first housing project.
- In Amsterdam And The People/CLT Bijlmer are working towards community empowerment and the circular economy.
- South of Scotland Community Housing are pioneering the CLT as a vehicle for the renewal of a small town centre.
- Berlin Stadtbodenstiftung will develop the CLT model in Germany as a counter to the pressure of property speculation without using state owned land.
- The city of Lille has pioneered the OFS model that is now being used nationwide as part of national policy.
- London CLT are now developing their Brasted Close project–which is the creative reuse of land previously occupied by garages.
- FMDV are researching innovation if Financing CLTs and Policy on the European level…
There was much to learn from and be inspired by, and there is no doubt that the concept of the Community Land Trust is being proven across Europe.
We also visited a number of projects including ExRotaprint, a vast former factory partly designed by Klaus Kirsteni n 1958 in the Gesundbrunnen district. It operates along similar lines to a Community Land Trust. The site was purchased by the Trias and Edith Maryon Foundations and is leased to ExRotaprint until 2106.
ExRotaproint is a non-profit organisation that provides affordable space for synergies to develop among a wide variety of users from manufacturing to community outreach services and musicians, designers, artists, writers.
