Since 1994, LISC AmeriCorps Fellows have been furthering LISC’s impact in local communities. These fellows serve with community development groups, spearheading valuable projects, engaging in place-based community power building, and developing skills, experience, and insight into community development. AmeriCorps opportunities introduce emerging and experienced leaders to the field of community development while providing local partner organizations with a talent pipeline.
This summer, LISC LA is building on the impact of the LISC AmeriCorps Program with the first-ever cohort dedicated to building the capacity of community land trusts (CLTs) and place-based community ownership organizations. CLTs are organizations that buy property to benefit the community, such as parks and affordable housing. In a CLT, people own their homes through a 99-year contract while the organization owns the land, keeping the housing affordable forever. Homeowners typically pay rent into a shared fund and form a co-op to make community decisions together. This approach strengthens community ties and ensures long-term affordability.
After the second cohort of the Keep It Affordable Academy, which supports preserving both subsidized and unsubsidized affordable housing in high-risk areas, conversations with partner organizations revealed that a common challenge among CLTs and place-based community ownership programs is a lack of capacity. Emy Farrow-German, LISC Program Officer, recognized that this challenge could be addressed through the AmeriCorps program.
“There is a growing movement for community ownership in the state to address affordable housing needs and combat neighborhood displacement. There is a well-established network in the Bay Area, and Los Angeles is developing its own infrastructure. The LA CLT Coalition and other organizations are working to strengthen their capacity to access various new funding sources,” said Emy. “This iteration of the program is a way to leverage LISC LA’s work to enhance the capacity of these organizations and create pathways to more affordable housing.”
A unique aspect of this cohort was the intentional outreach and engagement with participating organizations to recruit members from within their communities. By doing so, we provided an opportunity for already involved local residents to engage in community development through the AmeriCorps program, ensuring that most fellows live and work in the communities they serve.
As part of the program, LISC LA hosts ‘Lunch and Learns’ for the Fellows with speakers who provide insights and practical knowledge for community development and housing justice. In the most recent session with PolicyLink, a national research institute dedicated to advancing economic and social equity, Selena Tan and Michelle Huang from their data team discussed the role of data in community advocacy and shared their career paths. These opportunities help the Fellows understand different ways to contribute to community solutions and engage in meaningful work, whether they have technical skills or not. This approach supports both community development and economic development, aligning with the goals of both LISC and the AmeriCorps program. Throughout the rest of the summer, Fellows will continue engaging with experts and topics to enhance their skills and strategies for community power and ownership.
The organizations participating include the Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust, LiBRE – Housing for All Community Land Trust, LA Mas, T.R.U.S.T. South LA, and Fideicomiso Comunitario Tierra Libre.
Federally funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects over 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to improve lives, strengthen communities, and inspire civic engagement. More than 1 million people have served as AmeriCorps members nationwide.
To learn more about LISC AmeriCorps, please click here.