Evergreen Land Trust
Washington
Deming
3231 Hillside Road
98244
1974
Yes
The purpose of the Trust is to encourage the development of cooperative communities and sustainable land use practices through the preservation of land and housing. ELT serves to:
1. Hold title to real property, and the development rights to real property, in order to protect affordable housing, resource lands, and conservation lands.
2. Provide education and encourage the study of ecological systems, human development, resource conservation, and sustainable technologies.
3. Develop organizational models for cooperative stewardship of land that benefit both present and future generations.
Founded in 1974, the Evergreen Land Trust Association (ELT) is the oldest community land trust in the Pacific Northwest, born from a grassroots movement to advance affordable housing, cooperatives, recycling, and other land reform initiatives. Its first properties—Prag House in Seattle and Pragtree Farm near Arlington—were donated in 1976, each governed by Trust and Use Agreements that set out perpetual stewardship goals and resident responsibilities. Over the years, ELT has expanded to include both urban and rural properties across the Puget Sound region, from cooperative houses to working farms, all managed according to the same model. Guided by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from each property and the broader community, and supported by an engaged membership, ELT continues to uphold its mission of long-term land stewardship, community living, and education.