# Housing Co-op and Land Trust **URL:** \ **Category:** Discussion\ **Tags:** resources, founder, legal\ **Created:** [July 4, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232 "2022-07-04T17:49:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![misstnsteph](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.ic.org/misstnsteph/32/946_2.png) [@misstnsteph](https://forum.ic.org/u/misstnsteph)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/1 "2022-07-04T17:49:21Z")
Hello All, I am currently looking at the best legal structure for my intentional community, and I am leaning towards the Co-op with an LLC or Land Trust. I was wondering who here is setup under one of these, and how is it going for you, and could you provide some insight like resources I could go to and get a better idea of the two. ---
**Author:** ![elsbeth](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.ic.org/elsbeth/32/42_2.png) [@elsbeth](https://forum.ic.org/u/elsbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/2 "2022-07-11T16:00:48Z")
Hi @misstnsteph, Letting you know that I just added the tags “resources”, “legal”, and “founder” to your topic! We’re trying to keep this forum pretty organized, so if you can add relevant tags to your future topics, we’d appreciate that participation. You can learn more about adding tags in our [Getting Started](https://forum.ic.org/t/getting-started-guide/282) document! ---
**Author:** ![otherrealm.org](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.ic.org/otherrealm.org/32/585_2.png) [@otherrealm.org](https://forum.ic.org/u/otherrealm.org)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/3 "2022-07-12T19:30:05Z")
This is (somewhat) dependent on your location. This is a good resource, I think, to get started: [https://www.nasco.coop/sites/default/files/srl/Organizer's%20Handbook-2020%20edition%20[Compressed%20Book%20Layout].pdf](https://www.nasco.coop/sites/default/files/srl/Organizer%27s%20Handbook-2020%20edition%20%5BCompressed%20Book%20Layout%5D.pdf) and if you live in the Northeast U.S., this has some good resources: [Resource Center – Cooperative Development Institute](https://cdi.coop/resource-center/) ---
**Author:** ![ZolaRose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/57b2e6/32.png) [@ZolaRose](https://forum.ic.org/u/ZolaRose)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 11:49pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/4 "2022-07-17T23:49:25Z")
I suggest checking out the website of Grounded Solutions. They have a lot on CLTs. Also the School of Living which uses CLTs with intentional communities. ---
**Author:** ![elsbeth](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.ic.org/elsbeth/32/42_2.png) [@elsbeth](https://forum.ic.org/u/elsbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/5 "2022-07-18T15:05:00Z")
Replying again from my personal perspective, rather than as a moderator: My community is also thinking deeply about these structural questions. Right now, the three of us own a house together as individuals and don’t yet have a legal ‘business’ entity. We’ve been using a book called Creating a Life Together by Diana Leafe Christian to help guide our process, and there are a few chapters in it on the different legal structures available to intentional communities ---
**Author:** ![SoCo\_Eco-Village](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@SoCo\_Eco-Village](https://forum.ic.org/u/SoCo_Eco-Village)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 8:40pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/6 "2022-07-22T20:40:07Z")
If you are in California the best resource would be [Sustainable Economies Law Center (theselc.org)](https://www.theselc.org/). ---
**Author:** ![Emlyn\_Crocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.ic.org/emlyn_crocker/32/24_2.png) [@Emlyn\_Crocker](https://forum.ic.org/u/Emlyn_Crocker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/7 "2022-08-01T14:49:30Z")
Hi Stephanie! FIC team member here. This is a great [short video on CLTs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drVd7E8L3KI) from the FIC youtube channel. We hosted this event a while back with School of Living’s (SOL) Karen Stupski and Herb Goldstein so this is their take on CLTs. Thanks for sharing about your process here on the forum! I’m starting a homestead in Maine with my partner and we’re interested in potentially expanding it into a CLT too. ---
**Author:** ![RionaAndLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a4c791/32.png) [@RionaAndLogan](https://forum.ic.org/u/RionaAndLogan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 5:15am UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/8 "2022-12-19T05:15:07Z")
From what I’ve learnt so far I feel like an LLC makes the most sense to me for what I’d like to either start or join. People own their house/unit, but everyone collectively owns the land together and makes decisions accordingly. I know that in some communities one or a couple community members own the land, but I feel like that could get lop-sided in regards to distribution of power in community decision-making and so it doesn’t feel like the right model for me. Additionally, being a 501C3 or being a land trust seems to have a lot more organized rules that legal entities have made, rather than the autonomy I think an LLC would/could have. I’d love to get more input on these ideas to see if I’m wrong or just find out what is working for others here. ---
**Author:** ![RionaAndLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a4c791/32.png) [@RionaAndLogan](https://forum.ic.org/u/RionaAndLogan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.ic.org/t/housing-co-op-and-land-trust/1232/9 "2023-01-05T23:08:57Z")
I’m also starting to see some potential advantages in owning together as a nonprofit (less taxes), or a private landtrust.