In response to the 2016 rezoning of East New York and the lingering effects of the 2009 foreclosure crisis, an intergenerational group of organizers and community leaders from East New York and Brownsville formed the steering committee of what would become the East New York Community Land Trust (ENYCLT). As the community faced challenges such as overcrowded hospitals, lack of employment, and rising household debt, the steering committee drafted bylaws and elected its first board of directors.

 We have since transitioned from a steering committee to a growing dues-paying general membership. We focus on building our members’ capacity to collectively own and democratically manage land and housing, ensuring that the community holds the power and is able to shape its own thriving future.