East Suffolk Council

Community Led Housing

Community led housing (CLH) is an umbrella term for housing that is owned or managed by the community in a not for profit basis. The term encompasses different models:

• Community Led Housing Fund
• Community Land Trusts
• Cohousing
• Housing co-operatives

These models are set up by ordinary people who have an ambition to meet the housing needs of their parish. At the heart of these models are the principles of affordability, sustainability and democracy. 

Community led housing has two main benefits.

• Housing can be dellivered that is in keeping with household budgets both for rent or home ownership, through the use of innovative financial models and covenants and housing costs can be protected for future residents.
• Cooperative and Community Land Trusts can prevent homes being sold on the open market and are ‘Right to Buy’ exempt.

Further details of how these models can provide affordable homes:

• National Community Land Trusts Network
• Development Trusts Association
• The Confederation of Co-operative Housing
• UK Cohousing
• Community Self Build Agency
• Self Help Housing
• National Custom and Self Build Association
• National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations
• Community Gateway Associations