The Portland, Ore., region provides a useful illustration of the ways in which the goals and work of smart growth advocates and affordable housing providers and advocates can come together to help shape public policy. The two recently created community land trusts in the region in many ways grew out of the collaborations between existing affordable housing providers (include one small CLT) acting together as the Community Development Network  -- an association of community development corporations and nonprofit housing developers -- and the smart growth movement, embodied in the Coalition for a Livable Future.

The Portland and Clackamas CLTs are now moving into relationships and roles created by older nonprofit housing providers. This case study illustrates some roles that CLTs might take in shaping and supporting smart growth by showing how they were realized by other nonprofit housing developers. It also shows how good smart growth policy work can provide a strong impetus and support for the work of CLTs.

This case study begins with an overview of the public policy and governance context in the region. The overview is followed by a discussion of the roles nonprofit housing developers and other housing advocates and allies have played in the development of public policies in the region and in supporting growth management efforts. The case study details that work and discusses its results as they relate to CLTs.