The Island Housing Trust is a non-profit Community Land Trust organization that supports a diverse and vital community on the island of Martha’s Vineyard by creating and sustaining permanently affordable housing, both rental and ownership. Our Mission Vision Values statement outlines not only our vision for the future but our commitment to fostering a diverse community and workplace.
Our social justice roots are firmly planted in the Community Land Trust movement which began in the late 1960’s during the civil-rights-era. A CLT is a mechanism by which land is held in trust and managed by a nonprofit, used for whatever a community chooses, whether that’s housing, small businesses, cultural spaces, gardens, parks, or farms. The land is owned by a trust, which keeps it out of speculators’ hands, but residences and other structures can be privately owned and inherited, allowing community members to build wealth.
For more than a decade, we’ve provided hope and opportunity to hundreds of low and moderate income island families seeking a dignified solution to their affordable housing needs. Together, we’re working towards a stronger, more resilient and sustainable future for our island community.
Regular IHT board meetings typically are held on the third Saturday of each month.