Webinar recording: Using CLTs to Deliver Energy Renovation and Permanent Affordability to Existing Housing

3 October 2024 by
Upcycling Trust

On 25 September, the International Center for Community Land Trust, in collaboration with partners of the Upcycling Trust project, hosted an insightful webinar focused on the role of CLTs in promoting energy renovation and ensuring permanent affordability for existing housing stock.


Presentation of the Upcycling Trust project

Jeanne Mosseray introduces the Upcycling Trust Project. This five-year project began in early 2024, and aims to renovate existing buildings and bring them into community land trust (CLT) frameworks across five pilot cities in Europe, including Brussels, Ghent, Lille, Rennes, and Cork.


In this video, Jeanne discusses the project's goals, preliminary challenges, and the unique context of each pilot city. Learn how these cities are approaching sustainable renovations, stabilizing tenure, and creating affordable housing solutions for low-income households. This webinar also highlights the partnership's ambition to tackle energy efficiency and community building in diverse urban environments.

Overview of Upcycling Trust Partnership Pilot Projects in Europe - Jeanne Mosseray 

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Brussels pilot: "CLT Reno Solidarity Pack"

Virginie Schoëff from Community Land Trust Brussels (@plateformecltb) presents the CLT Reno Solidarity Pack, a pilot project aimed at making energy-efficient home renovations accessible to low-income owner-occupiers. Virginie explains the background, challenges, and innovative mechanisms behind this project, which is supported by Brussels institutions and the European Interreg program.

The CLT Reno Solidarity Pack offers a comprehensive social and financial tool to help homeowners finance and complete necessary renovations, while keeping homes permanently affordable. The project addresses recent climate laws and the need for energy transition, proposing solutions to the high costs and financial obstacles many low-income owners face in meeting Brussels’ new energy efficiency standards.

CLT Renovation Solidarity Pack - Virginie Schoëff - CLTB

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Insights from City of Lakes Community Land Trust

Staci Horwitz, Director of Operations at the City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, shares the journey and experiences of integrating existing homeowners into their CLT model. Staci provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that CLCLT has encountered over the years, highlighting the organization’s growth since its inception in 2002.


With over 400 homes now in the trust, Staci discusses the innovative approaches used to stabilize tenure and offer sustainable solutions for homeowners. This presentation forms part of a broader international conversation on sustainable housing solutions and community land trusts, featuring collaborations between European and U.S. CLTs.

City Lakes Community Land Trust- Staci Horwitz 

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