About Us
What is a Community Land Trust?
Community Land Trusts are not-for-profit, community-based organisations that build homes at permanently affordable levels for long-term community benefit.
Our Vision
- Locally Affordable and Sustainable Homes
Our Mission
- Own homes and amenities for the community in perpetuity
- Build and/or renovate homes for rent or lease
- Be a community led and accountable organisation
- Contribute to the wellbeing of our residents
Our Story
ACCLT was set up in response to the increasing difficulty for people on low to middle incomes to find homes that they could afford in Adur. Our basic starting point is that: thriving communities must have decent, secure homes that everyone can afford to rent or buy.
The goal of ACCLT to become a not for profit landlord offering secure tenancies at rents well below market rates (long term 30-35% of income).
We are a non-political group advocating for long-term, sustainable housing solutions rooted in community ownership.
Housing Need in Adur
According to Adur District Council’s Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2020
- 83% of households in need are unlikely to have sufficient income to afford housing at current prices
- 70% of affordable homes needed are for 1 or 2 bedroom properties 80% of affordable housing demand is for rental accommodation
- The average monthly income for 25% of Adur residents equates to 60% plus of the cost of a two bed market rental property
Research from the Local Government Association shows that to purchase a home in Adur in 2021, working people could expect to pay around 13.41 times their annual earnings, up from 8.57 times earnings in 2011. This compares to 6.80 for England. Although housing prices are higher in Adur than the UK average, earnings in Adur are lower than UK average.
In the 2020 BBC Briefing: Housing - it stated that 27% of 20-34 years old in UK are still at home because they cannot afford to rent or buy.
A recent article in the Financial Times highlighted that in 1979 more than a third of people in England lived in council housing built, owned and administered by local government. Now more than 40 per cent of council homes bought under Right to Buy have been sold to private landlords who rent them out at three or four times the price of an equivalent property in the social housing sector.
The high cost of buying or renting in Adur is deeply problematic and can impact anyone at any stage of their life.
With rents in the private sector so high and not enough social housing to meet local demand, truly affordable housing is desperately needed.
The Board
Linda McCanna - Chair chair@acclt.org.uk
Steve Creed - Vice Chair vicechair@acclt.org.uk
Steve Creed - Treasurer treasurer@acclt.org.uk
Jo Crockett - Secretary secretary@acclt.org.uk
Vacancy
We are very grateful for the information, advice and guidance we receive from Sussex Community Housing Hub.
We are also grateful for the support we receive from a range of members who provide relevant expertise, administration and social media support.