European Community Land Trust Network 2026: Building Affordable Homes and Stronger Communities 9–11 June 2026, Brussels and Ghent
- Janet Emmanuel
- 18 hours ago
- 4 min read
Walking through Community Land Trusts: where affordable housing builds communities
A highlight of the ECLTN Annual Meeting was visiting Community Land Trust developments in Brussels and Ghent. Although each project had a different history, all demonstrated that affordable housing can provide much more than a home: it can create secure, connected communities shaped by residents themselves.
Brussels: support before and after moving in
The Brussels Community Land Trust approach begins long before residents receive their keys. Future homeowners can spend up to two years preparing for the move, learning about financial management, energy efficiency, building maintenance and collective decision-making.
Support continues for another two years after residents move in, helping families settle into their homes and build relationships with their neighbours. The Community Land Trust can also act as a guarantor for loans, opening a route to home ownership for people who might otherwise be excluded.
From a pilot project to resident-led spaces
Our first stop was Brussels’ original CLT development, completed in 2013. The modest building contains nine apartments with between one and three bedrooms. Although it lacks the shared facilities found in newer schemes, it proved that the CLT model could work in Brussels and laid the foundations for later developments.
One former resident went on to become a housing officer for a progressive political party - a powerful example of how the security of an affordable home can encourage people to help shape housing policy for others.
The second development had been built by a private developer but was taken over by affordable housing providers after the homes failed to sell. Its 21 families moved in during the COVID pandemic, making it particularly difficult to build the community they had imagined.
Residents responded by transforming an unused parking area into a community hub. Working with local professionals and raising their own funding, they created a space that now hosts activities for residents and the wider neighbourhood. It was a reminder that communities are shaped not only by buildings, but by the people who use them.
CLT L’Espoir: designing a neighbourhood together
Our final Brussels stop was CLT L’Espoir, one of the city’s pioneering community housing projects. Built to Passivhaus standards on challenging ground, it brought migrant families, architects, housing organisations and public bodies together to design homes - and a neighbourhood.
Its community garden captures the spirit of the development. Open to everyone, it is a place where neighbours meet, children play and friendships grow. A small group of residents continues to care for it on behalf of the wider community.
Perhaps the most striking fact from the visit was that, after 16 years, only one resident had left, and that was following their death rather than a decision to move elsewhere. At a time of widespread housing insecurity, that stability speaks volumes.
Ghent: bringing the CLT model to Flanders
CLT Gent began in 2010, when three young people working in the non-profit sector found themselves priced out of the city they loved. After discovering the Community Land Trust model, they worked with CLT pioneers in Brussels and elsewhere to adapt it for Flanders.
The process was far from simple. Years were spent explaining the concept to residents and politicians, navigating planning requirements and demonstrating that community-led housing could work. Political support eventually followed, and the land for Flanders’ first CLT was secured in 2015.
More than 12 years passed between the original idea and residents moving in during 2024. Some of the project’s earliest participants had to find homes elsewhere before construction was completed - a reminder that lengthy planning and funding processes have a real human cost.
A neighbourhood shaped by its residents
From the outset, future residents helped design the development, creating a sense of ownership before anyone moved in. The principle that “land is for everyone” runs throughout the project.
Today, CLT Gent provides one-to-four-bedroom homes for people of different ages and household sizes. A volunteer-run, low-cost supermarket supports local families, while the community garden provides a natural gathering place for neighbours.
Every resident is also a board member, giving the community a direct role in decisions about the neighbourhood. The Community Land Trust retains responsibility for the land and its long-term stewardship, balancing resident participation with lasting affordability.
More than bricks and mortar
The visits to Brussels and Ghent reinforced a clear message: successful affordable housing requires more than good design. It depends on long-term support, meaningful resident involvement, strong partnerships and a commitment to keeping homes affordable for future generations.
Both cities showed what becomes possible when people are given the tools to shape where they live. These are places where residents do not simply have a home - they have stability, responsibility and a genuine sense of belonging.
They also highlighted an urgent challenge. Small, community-led organisations cannot afford to spend more than a decade navigating planning and funding systems. With faster decisions and the right public support, many more communities like these could become a reality.
Join London CLT
Brussels and Ghent show what can happen when communities have a genuine role in shaping their homes and neighbourhoods.
Join London CLT and help create permanently affordable, community-led homes that give Londoners a lasting stake in their city.
