MEMORANDUM

TO: Andrea Arnold, City Manager

FROM: Kristin Allin, Affordable Housing Fellow

CC: Angela Threadgill, Planning & Economic Development Director

SUBJECT: Resolution to Support the Establishment of the Decatur Land Trust as an

Independent Non-profit Corporation

The purpose of the memorandum is to request the Decatur City Commission approve a
resolution to support the establishment of the Decatur Land Trust as an independent non-profit
corporation. The Decatur Land Trust was initially set up under the non-profit umbrella of Legacy
Decatur. Establishing the Decatur Land Trust (DLT) as its own entity will further the goal of
creating permanent and sustainable, affordable housing throughout Decatur. The Decatur Land
Trust Board is seeking the support of the Decatur City Commission for this action.

While the DLT would exist as an independent organization, it will continue to work in
partnership with the City of Decatur to contribute to the building and preservation of safe, decent
and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents in the City of Decatur. As
recommendation number eleven in the 2020 Affordable Housing Task Force Report, the report
details the need for the City Commission to act to build and fund capacity of the DLT so that it
may identify specific programs, such as removing vulnerable properties from the speculative land
market to create affordable homeownership. In addition, three pending projects rely on the
functions of the DLT to create perpetual affordable units, which underscore the need for the DLT
to form its own nonprofit status in order to accept land, funding, and to execute its own contracts
to benefit these projects. Establishing the DLT as a separate legal entity devoted to these objectives
is a large and necessary step to address the urgent need to construct, preserve and protect
affordability.

Although the DLT will continue to work closely with Legacy Decatur, which has the
capacity to act as a convener and supporter of other city-based non-profit organizations, the DLT
Board believes that the goals of both organizations to support the development of affordable
housing throughout the City would best be accomplished through an independent land trust.

If a resolution of support is passed by the Decatur City Commission, the DLT will submit
a formal request to the Legacy Decatur Board of Directors for its consideration on July 22, 2021.

______________________________
An Equal Opportunity Employer
6/7/2021 R-21-XX_Land_Trust

R-21-XX
 
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE DECATUR LAND TRUST
AS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT CORPORATION
 
WHEREAS, in recognition of a need to promote perpetual affordable
homeownership, the Legacy Decatur Board initially established the Decatur Land
Trust an entity residing under the umbrella of Legacy Decatur; and
 
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2019, the Legacy Decatur Board appointed a
five-member Board of Directors to the Decatur Land Trust; and
 
WHEREAS, the inaugural Board of Directors of the Decatur Land Trust
researched and developed policies and bylaws consistent with exemplar community
land trusts; and 
 
WHEREAS, the mission of a community land trust is to acquire significant
real estate holdings on behalf of a community, and set long-term responsibilities to
acquire, develop, manage, transfer, and steward land for permanent housing
affordability for qualified homebuyers; and
 
WHEREAS, the Decatur Land Trust, as an independent non-profit
corporation, would be legally enabled to fulfill the long-term responsibilities to the
community to acquire, develop, manage, transfer, and steward land for permanent
housing affordability for qualified homebuyers; and
 
WHEREAS, the 2020 Decatur Affordable Housing Task Force Report
recommended the City Commission take action to support and grow the capacity of
the Decatur Land Trust; and
 
  WHEREAS, the Decatur Land Trust, as an independent non-profit
corporation, would further the goals of the City of Decatur of creating permanent and
sustainable affordable housing throughout Decatur; and
 
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Decatur Land Trust Board
members would increase from five members to seven members to include (1) City of
Decatur Staff representative appointed by the City Manager, and (1) City
Commissioner representative appointed by the Honorable Mayor of the City of
Decatur; and
 
WHEREAS, this resolution of support will be presented to the Legacy
Decatur Board on July 22, 2021, who will formally consider the establishment of the
Decatur Land Trust as an independent non-profit corporation; and
 
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, and it is hereby resolved, by the
City Commission of the City of Decatur, Georgia, that the City Commission supports
the establishment of the Decatur Land Trust as an independent non-profit corporation

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6/7/2021 R-21-XX_Land_Trust

in accordance with its bylaws as established and reviewed annually by the Board of
Directors of the Decatur Land Trust.
 
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, and it is hereby resolved, that this
resolution is adopted this 7th day of June, 2021.  
             
              DECATUR CITY
COMMISSION
 
 
                       
     
Mayor
ATTEST:           
 
_____________________________
City Clerk
 
 

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