In anticipation of a large donation of land and with plans to develop a neighborhood of homes for ownership, HRB becomes a community land trust. With this model, HRB can keep the homes affordable even after they are sold by retaining ownership of the ground beneath them and leasing it to the homeowner for a 99-year term. The ground lease requires that homes to be resold to other income-eligible households at a price that is affordable. The following year, Lois Curtis (1933 – 2022) donates six acres of land, valued at $2.1M, to HRB. This parcel will ultimately become Ferncliff Village. Curtis served on the Bainbridge Island School Board, City Council, and Planning Commission and cared deeply about maintaining the island’s economic diversity through housing.
