Replication through partnership: the evolution of partnerships between community land trusts and housing associations in England

Community land trusts (CLTs) have emerged as an innovative way of addressing the affordable housing crisis in England, as they seek to control and own housing to ensure lasting affordability and to democratically manage assets through voluntarism and community ownership structures. However, there can be difficulties that impede their progress, including legitimacy as new forms of housing organisation, access to finance, and voluntary capacity. CLTs have increasingly begun to partner with housing associations to overcome these issues, combining community leadership with professional expertise and experience. While partnerships may be critiqued for standardising community initiatives or for marrying contrasting institutional logics, housing association support has led directly to the growth of the CLT sector and created new frameworks in which communities can pursue local goals. This paper reports on empirical research into the constitution and effectiveness of partnerships, and considers their implications for future community-led housing development.