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Residential Investments
Creating pathways to affordable homeownership, neighborhood stability, and resident-led prosperity in the Russell community.
RPOP is proud to be incorporated as a nonprofit community land trust, a model that draws its history from the Southern Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of New Communities, Inc., a collective community founded in 1969 by Black farmers and activists in Albany, Georgia. As one of the more than 300 community land trusts operating in the US, RPOP’s goal is to sustain equal access to land and affordable housing so that generations of residents can build wealth through homeownership in Russell.
How Does a Community Land Trust Preserve Affordability?
Community land trusts (CLTs) help residents build equity through long-term ownership of their homes. There are three main ways that CLTs differ from other affordable housing organizations.
Governed by Residents
CLTs are governed by residents, including homeowners living in CLT-stewarded properties.
Shared Ownership
CLTs share ownership with home buyers to keep housing costs, including property taxes, lower and more predictable.
Long-term Partnerships
CLTs form partnerships with homeowners that lead to stronger neighborhood connections and greater success as owners.
Community land trusts also sometimes develop and sell or lease affordable commercial properties.
RPOP is a member of Grounded Solutions Network, a national organization dedicated to supporting community land trusts and similar groups working to provide permanently affordable housing and commercial spaces using a shared equity model. To learn more about CLTs and the work that Grounded Solutions does to support them, click here.
How Does RPOP Preserve Affordability in Russell?
RPOP plans to develop a set of properties held by the Louisville Metro Land Bank and prioritized by residents for the development of new, permanently affordable owner-occupied homes, affordable multi-family residential units, and limited commercial and community-serving uses.
Families who purchase homes developed through RPOP’s investments in Russell will own their homes and other improvements. However, the community, through RPOP’s role as a community land trust, will retain ownership of the land. Homeowners receive a long-term lease that allows them to use the land, and they agree to a long-term relationship with RPOP which includes maintenance requirements and certain resale restrictions to preserve the home’s affordability for future owners. Homeowners in this model have the same essential benefits of homeownership - they can build wealth, pass the home through a will to a family member, landscape and make other improvements to the home and property. They also receive the benefit of being part of a community of families who are committed to building wealth while ensuring that affordable housing is an option for future homebuyers in Russell. When a homeowner decides to sell, they will receive (1) their downpayment; (2) their equity represented by what they paid toward the principal on their mortgage; and, (3) a portion of the home’s appreciated value.
The rights and requirements of purchasing and owning a home through RPOP’s model are outlined in our Stewardship Manual.
Families who purchase homes developed through RPOP’s investments in Russell will own their homes and other improvements. However, the community, through RPOP’s role as a community land trust, will retain ownership of the land. Homeowners receive a long-term lease that allows them to use the land, and they agree to a long-term relationship with RPOP which includes maintenance requirements and certain resale restrictions to preserve the home’s affordability for future owners. Homeowners in this model have the same essential benefits of homeownership - they can build wealth, pass the home through a will to a family member, landscape and make other improvements to the home and property. They also receive the benefit of being part of a community of families who are committed to building wealth while ensuring that affordable housing is an option for future homebuyers in Russell. When a homeowner decides to sell, they will receive (1) their downpayment; (2) their equity represented by what they paid toward the principal on their mortgage; and, (3) a portion of the home’s appreciated value.
The rights and requirements of purchasing and owning a home through RPOP’s model are outlined in our Stewardship Manual.
When a Homeowner Sells
They will receive:
Community land trusts also sometimes develop and sell or lease affordable commercial properties.
CLT FAQ Document
Elliott Avenue Investments
RPOP is partnering with HPI, the Housing Partnership, to develop 25 new single-family owner-occupied homes on the 2400-2500 blocks of Elliott Avenue. The first homes will be available in Fall 2026.
Stay connected with RPOP through our emails, text messages, and social media to learn more about community meetings being held to discuss this opportunity and to hear more about our timeline for opening the applicant pool. This page will be updated over the coming months with additional information about the opportunity to purchase a home on Elliott Avenue.
Stay connected with RPOP through our emails, text messages, and social media to learn more about community meetings being held to discuss this opportunity and to hear more about our timeline for opening the applicant pool. This page will be updated over the coming months with additional information about the opportunity to purchase a home on Elliott Avenue.
Under Construction
