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Sunflowers growing in the foreground of Near North camp, with a sided self-build building, several recreational vehicles, and a standalone wood-sided enclosed shower stall building before bits of the skyline of Minneapolis and a deep blue and white clouds sky.
September 2, 2023

Our plan for housing people as quickly and affordably as possible

Encampments have proven people can house themselves quickly and inexpensively.  Now to make it legal and stable, better and more beautiful, and all that unhoused people have dreamt of.  Starting more modestly, our plan includes private, individual housing units under the control of the person or people living in each; shared community building for socializing, cooking, bathrooms, and showers; people living on the land make all the key decisions about their community; and common outdoor green space, including garden and trees.

Land
September 2, 2023

Who’s this Gertrude Brown person anyway? One anecdote

Willy Gertrude Brown stared down cops on multiple occasions and won.

September 2, 2023

Minneapolis zoning allows for intentional community cluster developments

Land of 10,000 square feet or more anywhere in Minneapolis can be approved for an "intentional community cluster development" that makes much
lower-cost housing legal, so that's ideally the land Gertrude Brown Community Land Trust is looking to find.  (This is a zoning rule unique to Minneapolis, we think.)

About Gertrude Brown Community Land Trust

The Gertrude Brown CLT is a community land trust formed by  community members, mutual aid organizations, unhoused individuals  seeking autonomous housing, and small local businesses. Our mission is  to help people who are unhoused and housing insecure in the Twin Cities  secure housing, self-determination, and a center of mutual aid by  acquiring land in Minneapolis and supporting the capacity to building an  intentional community with radically affordable legal dwellings.  

We undertake this endeavor in response to the violent evictions  conducted by the city of Minneapolis. In particular, unhoused people had  built strong communities on unused public land listed as property of the  “Office of Community Planning and Economic Development”, and  rather than negotiate to do either of those things CPED led the city-wide  policy of destruction. 

Our community will be self-sustaining with ongoing mutual aid support,  including but not limited to; a community garden facilitated by residents,  educational workshops to promote autonomous self-defense and  deescalation training, wound care kit distribution and medic care,  resource-share workshops, food-share, and most importantly, ensuring  no monetary barriers to living on the land.

Privacy Policy

Respecting your privacy and being responsible with the data we collect from you is of the utmost importance to us.  We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this privacy policy.

Fundraiser at the Seward Cafe this Friday for Gertrude Brown Community Land Trust!

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Save the Date!

Gertrude Brown Community Land Trust (GBCLT) Fundraiser!

Friday, September 8th
6pm
Seward Café

Fundraisers

Gertrude Brown Community Land Trust Statement of Purpose

We will help people who are unhoused and housing insecure in the Twin Cities to secure housing, self-determination, and a center of mutual aid by forming a community land trust (CLT) to acquire land in Minneapolis and support the capacity to build radically affordable legal dwellings.

Abigail Meyer

GBCLT Founding Board Member

Abigail is a CBCLT board member. They have been active in encampment support for over three years and have seen the problems in only responding to evictions and wanted to create an alternative.

Venus

Visionary
A smiling Black woman with perfect skin, dreadlocks, styled eyebrows, and a nose ring smiles at the camera.

Yo! The name is Venus like the fly trap and I am one of the visionaries of this project. I’ve been involved in grassroot organizations in Minneapolis for the past 3 years specializing in reproductive and sexual health with a deep passion to uplift and materially assist the people in my community. My involvement in encampments, outreach and being unhoused myself has forced me to confront the violence of homelessness created by the state. Housing is a human right, not a privilege for people who can afford it. The goal with this project is to house my neighbors in Near North Minneapolis and inspire others to take matters into their own hands regarding our plight. Remember, we keep us safe.