Canton council discusses creating community land trust as residents raise concerns about low-income projects

The Canton City Council on May 15 discussed whether to create a Canton Community Land Trust, a nonprofit structure that would keep land in public stewardship and limit resale price growth to maintain long-term affordable housing.

The discussion followed public comment from resident Taylor Steele, who urged the council to limit powers of the Canton Housing Authority and to weigh constituent survey results showing traffic and growth management as top priorities. Steele said the Canton Housing Authority now owns and operates multiple properties, and referenced planned low-income housing near Cherokee High School. He also called attention to a recent transfer of $10 million from ARPA to the general fund and a $500,000 loan to the housing authority, and asked the council to consider limits on additional actions by the housing authority.

Why it matters: A community land trust (CLT) keeps ownership of land separate from ownership of the homes on it. That structure removes land cost from home purchase prices and allows resale restrictions that preserve affordability for future buyers. Council and staff framed the CLT as a tool the city could use on individual projects rather than an obligation to apply it citywide.

Staff member Patton, who presented the proposal, told the council a CLT "inquires, owns, and stewards land permanently for the common good" and is typically used to provide workforce-affordable homeownership by retaining land and limiting resale gains. Patton provided draft articles of incorporation and sample development association bylaws for projects, and said the housing team unanimously recommended the council consider forming a CLT.

City staff and council members discussed how a CLT differs from a land bank. Staff described a land bank as a statutory entity that acquires tax-sale or problem properties to return them to the market, while a CLT retains land and uses long-term leases and resale restrictions to keep units affordable. Patton and others cited an Atlanta example in which resale rules limited owner gain to about 5% plus documented improvement costs to preserve affordability over time.

Council members and staff repeatedly emphasized the CLT is a tool to be used on a project-by-project basis. Staff said a CLT could be structured so the Canton Housing Authority, city staff, or an independent nonprofit could serve as the CLT board; that decision would come later. Council asked staff to return with a proposal that includes details on resale restrictions, income targeting and board composition so the council could act on a resolution at a future meeting.

Public comment: Taylor Steele (resident) urged caution about concentrating subsidized housing in Canton and warned of traffic and tax impacts; Steele provided unit counts for existing properties and a planned 95-unit LIHTC proposal adjacent to Cherokee High School as part of his remarks (numbers quoted to council by Steele during public comment). Staff and council did not alter the planned LIHTC project during the meeting.

Next steps: Staff was asked to prepare a more detailed proposal and a draft resolution outlining how the CLT would operate and which affordability rules would apply. No formal vote to establish a CLT was taken on May 15; council members asked staff to bring a resolution with specifics for later consideration.

Ending: Council members said the CLT would be another tool in the city's housing toolbox and could be applied selectively to projects the council approves. Staff and council indicated they expect to return with a detailed resolution for future review.