The Chain of Houses Initiative and How It Works
In 2025, at a time when public funding for affordable housing was becoming scarce, citizens of Columbia initiated a campaign to add at least one house each year to the CCLT’s housing portfolio from entirely private donations. Accomplishing this would make it clear that ours is truly a Community Land Trust, in which neighbors eagerly help their neighbors.
The initiative was named the Chain of Houses because each house acquired builds a financial link to the next. Suppose, for instance, that the CCLT buys House #1 for $250,000 and sells it to an income-qualified buyer for $170,000. That $170,000 will provide most of the money needed to buy House #2. Donors to the Chain will provide the rest. And so the Chain can continue, adding house after house for years to come.
The highest hurdle for this campaign was the first: raising the $250,000 or so needed to purchase the first house in the Chain. Fortunately, eighteen donors stepped forward—individuals and churches—and we cleared that hurdle sooner than we could have anticipated. Soon we will be able to post a photo of the house these generous donors have made permanently affordable. That photo will signal a meaningful victory, since every single house strengthens our community by offering a road to financial stability for families that might otherwise struggle to make ends meet.
Now we have begun fundraising for House #2! Our modest goal is to raise $80,000 by December 31, 2026. Our heartfelt hope is to reach that goal much earlier, and so start down the road to House #3.
How to Contribute to the Chain of Houses
Because the Columbia Community Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) charity, donations are tax deductible, and donors can make Qualified Charitable Donations from their IRAs. Donations can be made by checks payable to the Columbia Community Land Trust and delivered to
Housing and Neighborhood Services
11 N 7th St
Columbia, MO 65201
Please include a note that you wish your donation to be used to support the Chain of Houses Initiative.
Donations can also be made online at comolandtrust.com. Look for the donation button at the top right of the webpage. As you make your online donation, you’ll be given a chance to note that you want your gift to support the Chain of Houses. Please be sure to add that note.
Staying in Touch
Donors (or potential donors) to the Chain of Houses Initiative who provide an email or physical address will receive regular updates on the fund’s growth. Eventually (soon, we believe!), they will be invited to tour the home they have helped the CCLT make permanently affordable for people who might otherwise find homeownership an impossible dream.