Does BACLT attract low-income renters to the area?
NO. The answer is no for a variety of reasons. First, we (almost without exception) purchase occupied properties. When we purchase a multi-family property with plans for renovations, we temporarily relocate all of the households residing in the building. After the rehabilitation is completed, these same residents are given priority and the first option to re-rent their original apartment. Therefore, BACLT’s renovation of buildings causes no change in the building’s population or in the neighborhood’s population. The only change is the condition of the property. A typical BACLT resident family has lived in the area well before they obtain housing through the Land Trust. 2004’s annual resident survey showed that BACLT residents have lived in Windham County, on average, for over twenty (20) years. The vast majority of our residents were born and raised in Windham County. Studies of the area housing market and wages show that there is a significant unmet local need for affordable housing.
