The Power of Family: Unlocking Family Homes to

Fund Supports and Create Pathways to Scaling Community Land Trusts

How might we design a “win-win” model for property owners to transfer their assets to a community land trust to unlock new affordable supportive housing options for individuals with developmental disabilities?

About the Lab

The Power of Family: Unlocking Family Homes to Create Pathways to Scaling Community Land Trusts is a National Housing Strategy Solutions Lab led by Extend-a-Family Kingston in collaboration with Service Coordination Support, Surrey Place, and SHS Inc. This initiative is based in Ontario and will run from April 2025 to July 2026.

This Solutions Lab aims to create a new housing model that enables families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to transfer their homes to a local community land trust to ensure permanent supportive housing for their loved ones.

Our lab addresses two intersecting challenges:

Gaps in supportive housing for people with disabilities

Many aging parents are the primary caregivers for their adult children with disabilities, worrying about their children’s care and housing when they’re no longer able to provide it. The options are particularly limited in smaller communities.

Barriers to growth for community land trusts (CLTs)

While CLTs are gaining momentum in Canada, many new groups lack the resources to acquire foundational housing assets. They face barriers to achieving scale, which would allow them to better protect and create more affordable housing for communities.

Solution Components

The following components will need to be designed for a potential solution model:

The deal structure formalized through legal agreements that brings homeowners, land trusts, and service providers together—defining terms, roles, and responsibilities.

The financial model which factors in the cost of acquisition, property maintenance, capital repairs, and renovations, while ensuring long-term affordability for residents and sufficient funds for supports.

The operating model, including the approach for day-to-day property management and long-term asset management, with consideration of other potential tenants on the property.

The support model, outlining the coordination and provision of wrap-around supports by the service provider, enabling the individual to live in their home long-term.

Sample Scenarios

Lab Team

The core project team is comprised of members from Extend-a-Family Kingston, Service Coordination Support, Surrey Place, and SHS Inc.

The three Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) agency partners work to connect individuals with developmental disabilities to housing, services, and supports in their region.

SHS Inc. is a Canadian firm focused on housing system innovation, policy research, and affordable housing development. SHS serves as the Solutions Lab Consultant for this initiative.