Cooper Square Community Land Trust
New York
New York City
61 East 4th Street
10003
212-477-5340
1994
In a neighborhood with a rich migrant history, we protect the homes, small businesses, and community spaces within our service area against land speculation and support the very fabric of a neighborhood where residents have been traditionally disenfranchised by both disinvestment and gentrification. Inspired by the know-how and ingenuity of the communities we serve, we are committed to helping pass their wealth — both concrete and intangible — for the enjoyment of future generations.
The Cooper Square Community Land Trust (CSCLT), the oldest active community land trust in New York City, emerged from the fierce grassroots battles of the 1950s and 1960s against Robert Moses’s urban renewal plans, which threatened to displace thousands in the Lower East Side. Through decades of sustained political organizing and strategic partnerships with local government, CSCLT secured ownership of the land beneath 23 buildings, holding it in perpetuity to protect residents from displacement.