HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-13-2020 Public Comment - T Menuez (HRDC) - Bridger View Redevelopment
May 13, 2020
Tanya Andreasen
Community Housing Program Manager
tandreasen@bozeman.net
Dear Tanya:
Thank you for sharing the questions from the Community Affordable Housing Advisory Board
(CAHAB) in lieu of their meeting. I have coordinated this response with Michael Brown from
Burlington Associates, who is leading the development of the local housing trust organization
(Headwaters Community Housing Trust) that will eventually take over the stewardship of the
permanently affordable homes. I have outlined the questions you shared in bold and provided
responses below.
1. Complete information on the Community Land Trust that will be used for this development.
A. Has the Land Trust for these units been established? If so, how was the entity created or
chosen? If not, how will it be created or chosen and under whose auspices will it be run?
The community land trust organization for these homes, Headwaters Community Housing Trust
(HCHT), anticipates incorporating in June. The working board for that organization, consisting of
numerous community members, has been meeting monthly with facilitation from Michael Brown
of Burlington Associates since November 2019.
B. I would like to see a copy of the bylaws for the Land Trust.
The bylaws for Headwaters Community Housing Trust are currently in draft form and will be
available for sharing once the organization is incorporated and the initial founding board of
directors formally adopts the bylaws that will govern its operations.
C. I would like to see a copy of the contract that the homeowner will be required to enter into.
Each homeowner will execute a Ground Lease Agreement with Headwaters Community Housing
Trust. For the past several months, the working board has been deliberating key decisions to be
included in HCHT’s ground lease agreement, working from the national ‘model’ lease agreement
that is used by all community land trusts across the country. An annotated version of this model
lease agreement is attached for your review. A final lease agreement, specific to the HCHT
homeowners in the Bridger View Redevelopment, will be completed and adopted by HCHT’s
board of directors once the homes are closer to construction.
D. What is the structure of the equity sharing provision for the
Land Trust units when they are sold?
This is one of the key decisions to be made by the Headwaters
Community Housing Trust, as part of the decision-making
required to complete its Ground Lease Agreement.
E. The documents indicate that at the time a homeowner sells the house the homeowner will
be entitled to "a limited share of the home's increase in value during their ownership."
Where does the portion of the increase in equity that is not given to the homeowner go?
It should first be noted that HCHT homeowners will be able to keep 100% of their earned equity,
that is the equity from their cash, out-of-pocket down payment made at closing as well as the
equity they accrue, like any homeowner, as they pay down the principal balance on their
mortgage as they make their monthly mortgage payments. Additionally, each HCHT homeowner
will be able to receive a limited share of the increase in the value of their home during their tenure
as homeowner. The balance of the appreciated value of the home remains in the home, ensuring
an affordable purchase price to the next ‘missing middle’ homebuyer household, without
requiring additional public sector or private sector resources to do so. The exact formula has not
yet been determined but will be finalized once the lease agreement is adopted.
2. The plans indicate a single contractor will be used for the construction of all the homes in
the subdivision. Has that contractor been chosen? If so, what process was used to choose that
contractor. If not, what process will be used to choose that contractor.
Langlas and Associates was selected through a competitive Request for Qualifications process
conducted by HRDC. Langlas and Associates has been an integral part of the team especially in
the contexts related to cost estimating and concurrent construction.
3. The plan indicates that 26 of the homes will be priced to be affordable to the "missing
middle" at 80 to 120% of AMI. How will those homes be distributed across that range and what
is the anticipated average and median price of those homes.
The 5 AHO and 26 missing middle homes will be distributed evenly by phase and number of
bedrooms. The maximum sales price of the homes will be calculated to be affordable to
households earning 70% Area Median Income for the AHO homes and 110% Area Median Income
for the missing middle homes, using a formula similar to that utilized by the Affordable Housing
Ordinance that takes into account principle and interest on the mortgage, insurance, taxes, HOA
dues and CLT fees.
4. What is the anticipated price range and distribution of the 21 Market rate homes that will
be priced above 120% of the AMI?
There are 31 homes that will be priced at market. They will be sold at a rate reflective of prevailing
market prices.
5. Please provide a copy of the phasing plan and project schedule that were provided with the
PUD application.
The Development Schedule was included in Section 6 of the
Preliminary Plat application materials. (Please note that this schedule
has been pushed back due to many factors.) Proposed phasing is
shown on most of the drawings and is also described in more detail
with exhibits in Appendix 10.g “Application for Concurrent
Construction.”
6. What is the role of Groundpoint LLC in this project?
Groundprint LLC (Susan Riggs, AICP) is the planning consultant for the development. The Planned
Unit Development and Preliminary Plat processes are complex, and a planning consultant is an
essential design team member to successfully navigate both the codes and the entitlement
processes.
7. How much are HOA dues estimated to be and are there any controls placed on increases for
the 5 affordable units and the 26 missing middle units?
The current HOA budget, which has extensively planned for repairs, maintenance, and reserves,
estimates a monthly HOA cost of $200. Bear in mind, this amount is part of the calculation of total
monthly homeowner costs, thereby reducing the amount of mortgage that can be carried, thus
reducing the sales price of the home. HOA dues also include trash and recycling, which are
typically owner responsibilities not assumed in the affordability calculation. The HOA budget plans
adequately for reserves and should not result in unexpected increases. Management of the HOA
upon completion lives with the homeowners. The HOA structure is such that CLT owners must
represent at least 50% of the HOA board, and at least 60% of owners must vote to increase fees,
to help ensure that these fees are sufficient but do not place undue burden on the owners of
HCHT homes.
8. The plans speak of the Common House which will have the affordable option of guest
accommodations. How will this be managed?
The Common House will be managed by the HOA.
9. The plans show that the units will be all electric and will be built solar ready. What is the
estimated additional cost of adding the solar panels and associated equipment? Will the
affordable homes be solar ready and positioned in such a way, and built with roof angles that
adding solar panels will make economic sense?
Yes, all the homes will be 100% electric and solar ready. The high-performance building envelopes
and advancements in solar panel technology allows greater flexibility in building orientation and
roof slopes to balance sustainability goals with building a functional compact neighborhood. The
cost of solar panels and associated equipment has not been determined. The opportunity is being
provided to allow future homeowners to determine whether it makes economic sense for their
household.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. We look forward to continuing to work
with the City on this important community project.
Sincerely,
Tracy Menuez
Associate Director, HRDC IX, Inc.
406.585.4890
CC: Tom Rogers, trogers@bozeman.net
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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HOMETOWNCOMMUNITY LAND TRUST
GROUND LEASE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Comment: Two important notes from the outset: (1) This annotated lease document is based on the nationally-
used model CLT ground lease document but will need to be tailored by the initial CLT board of directors to local
needs and community preferences; and (2) The name for this new community land trust organization has not
yet been determined; “Hometown Community Land Trust” is intended merely as a placeholder.
RECITALS
DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE 1: Homeowner’s Letter of Agreement and Attorney’s Letter of Acknowledgment are
Attached as Exhibits.
ARTICLE 2: Leasing of Rights to the Land
2.1 CLT LEASES THE LAND TO HOMEOWNER:
2.2 MINERAL RIGHTS NOT LEASED TO HOMEOWNER
ARTICLE 3: Term of Lease, Change of Land Owner
3.1 TERM OF LEASE IS 99 YEARS
3.2 HOMEOWNER CAN RENEW LEASE FOR ANOTHER 99 YEARS
3.3 WHAT HAPPENS IF CLT DECIDES TO SELL THE LEASED LAND
ARTICLE 4: Use of Leased Land
4.1 HOMEOWNER MAY USE THE HOME ONLY FOR RESIDENTIAL AND RELATED PURPOSES
4.2 HOMEOWNER MUST USE THE HOME AND LEASED LAND RESPONSIBILY AND IN COMPLIANCE
WITH THE LAW
4.3 HOMEOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR USE BY OTHERS
4.4 HOMEOWNER MUST OCCUPY THE HOME FOR AT LEAST ___ MONTHS EACH YEAR
4.5 LEASED LAND MAY NOT BE SUBLEASED WITHOUT CLT’S PERMISSION
4.6 CLT HAS A RIGHT TO INSPECT THE LEASED LAND
4.7 HOMEOWNER HAS A RIGHT TO QUIET ENJOYMENT
ARTICLE 5: Lease Fee
5.1 AMOUNT OF FEES
5.2 WHEN THE FEE IS TO BE PAID
5.3 HOW THE AMOUNT OF THE LEASE FEE HAS BEEN DETERMINED
5.4 CLT MAY REDUCE OR SUSPEND THE LEASE FEE TO IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY
5.5 FEES MAY BE INCREASED FROM TIME TO TIME
5.6 LEASE FEE WILL BE INCREASED IF RESTRICTIONS ARE REMOVED
5.7 IF PAYMENT IS LATE, INTEREST CAN BE CHARGED
5.8 CLT CAN COLLECT UNPAID FEES WHEN HOME IS SOLD
ARTICLE 6: Taxes and Assessments
6.1 HOMEOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
6.2 CLT WILL PASS ON ANY TAX BILLS IT RECEIVES TO HOMEOWNER
6.3 HOMEOWNER HAS A RIGHT TO CONTEST TAXES
6.4 IF HOMEOWNER FAILS TO PAY TAXES, CLT MAY INCREASE LEASE FEE
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6.5 PARTY THAT PAYS TAXES MUST SHOW PROOF
ARTICLE 7: The Home
7.1 HOMEOWNER OWNS THE HOUSE AND ALL OTHER IMPROVEMENTS ON THE LEASED LAND
7.2 HOMEOWNER PURCHASES HOME WHEN SIGNING LEASE
7.3 CONSTRUCTION CARRIED OUT BY HOMEOWNER MUST COMPLY WITH CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS
7.4 HOMEOWNER MAY NOT ALLOW STATUTORY LIENS TO REMAIN AGAINST LEASED LAND OR
HOME
7.5 HOMEOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVICES, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
7.6 WHEN LEASE ENDS, OWNERSHIP REVERTS TO CLT, WHICH SHALL REIMBURSE HOMEOWNER
ARTICLE 8: Financing
8.1 HOMEOWNER CANNOT MORTGAGE THE HOME WITHOUT CLT’s PERMISSION
8.2 BY SIGNING LEASE, CLT GIVES PERMISSION FOR ORIGINAL MORTGAGE
8.3 CLT PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REFINANCING OR OTHER SUBSEQUENT MORTGAGES
8.4 CLT IS REQUIRED TO PERMIT A “STANDARD PERMITTED MORTGAGE”
8.5 A PERMITTED MORTGAGEE HAS CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE LEASE
8.6 A PERMITTED MORTGAGEE HAS CERTAIN RIGHTS UNDER THE LEASE
8.7 IN THE EVENT OF FORECLOSURE, ANY PROCEEDS IN EXCESS OF THE PURCHASE OPTION PRICE
WILL GO TO CLT
ARTICLE 9: Liability, Insurance, Damage and Destruction, Eminent Domain
9.1 HOMEOWNER ASSUMES ALL LIABILITY
9.2 HOMEOWNER MUST DEFEND CLT AGAINST ALL CLAIMS OF LIABILITY
9.3 HOMEOWNER MUST REIMBURSE CLT
9.4 HOMEOWNER MUST INSURE THE HOME AGAINST LOSS AND MUST MAINTAIN LIABILITY
INSURANCE ON HOME AND LEASED LAND
9.5 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOME IS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED
9.6 WHAT HAPPENS IF SOME OR ALL OF THE LAND IS TAKEN FOR PUBLIC USE
9.7 IF PART OF THE LAND IS TAKEN, THE LEASE FEE MAY BE REDUCED
9.8 IF LEASE IS TERMINATED BY DAMAGE, DESTRUCTION OR TAKING, CLT WILL TRY TO HELP
HOMEOWNER BUY ANOTHER CLT HOME
ARTICLE 10: Transfer of the Home
10.1 INTENT OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY
10.2 HOMEOWNER MAY TRANSFER HOME ONLY TO CLT OR QUALIFIED PERSONS
10.3 THE HOME MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO CERTAIN HEIRS OF HOMEOWNER
10.4 HOMEOWNER’S NOTICE OF INTENT TO SELL
10.5 CLT HAS AN OPTION TO PURCHASE THE HOME
10.6 IF PURCHASE OPTION EXPIRES, HOMEOWNER MAY SELL ON CERTAIN TERMS
10.7 AFTER ONE YEAR CLT SHALL HAVE POWER OF ATTORNEY TO CONDUCT SALE
10.8 PURCHASE OPTION PRICE EQUALS LESSER OF APPRAISED VALUE OR FORMULA PRICE
10.9 IF CLT BELIEVES LEASEHOLD VALUE MAY BE LESS THAN FORMULA PRICE
10.10 HOW THE FORMULA PRICE IS CALCULATED
10.11 QUALIFIED PURCHASER SHALL RECEIVE NEW LEASE
10.12 PURCHASER MAY BE CHARGED A TRANSFER FEE
10.13 HOMEOWNER REQUIRED TO MAKE NECESSARY REPAIRS AT TRANSFER
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ARTICLE 11: Reserved
ARTICLE 12: Default
12.1 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOMEOWNER FAILS TO MAKE REQUIRED PAYMENTS TO THE CLT
12.2 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOMEOWNER VIOLATES OTHER (NONMONETARY) TERMS OF THE LEASE
12.3 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOMEOWNER DEFAULTS AS A RESULT OF JUDICIAL PROCESS
12.4 A DEFAULT (UNCURED VIOLATION) GIVES CLT THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE LEASE OR
EXERCISE ITS PURCHASE OPTION
ARTICLE 13: Mediation and Arbitration
13.1 MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION ARE PERMITTED
13.2 HOMEOWNER AND CLT SHALL SHARE COST OF ANY MEDIATION OR ARBITRATIION
ARTICLE 14: General Provisions
14.1 NOTICES
14.2 NO BROKERAGE
14.3 SEVERABILITY AND DURATION OF LEASE
14.4 RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL IN LIEU OF OPTION
14.5 WAIVER
14.6 CLT’S RIGHT TO PROSECUTE OR DEFEND
14.7 CONSTRUCTION
14.8 HEADINGS AND TABLE OF CONTENTS
14.9 PARTIES BOUND
14.10 GOVERNING LAW
14.11 RECORDING
Exhibits That Must Be Attached
Exhibit LETTERS OF AGREEMENT AND ATTORNEY’S ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Exhibit LEASED LAND
Exhibit DEED
Exhibit PERMITTED MORTGAGES
Exhibit FIRST REFUSAL
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THIS LEASE (“this Lease” or “the Lease”) entered into this _________ day of _____________, 20____,
between Hometown Community Land Trust (hereinafter “CLT” or “the CLT”) and
__________________________(“Homeowner”).
RECITALS
A. The CLT is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including the purpose of providing
homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income people who would otherwise be
unable to afford homeownership.
B. A goal of the CLT is to preserve affordable homeownership opportunities through the long-term
leasing of land under owner-occupied homes.
C. The Leased Land described in this Lease has been acquired and is being leased by the CLT in
furtherance of this goal.
D. The Homeowner shares the purposes of the CLT and has agreed to enter into this Lease not only
to obtain the benefits of homeownership, but also to further the charitable purposes of the CLT.
E. Homeowner and CLT recognize the special nature of the terms of this Lease, and each of them
accepts these terms, including those terms that affect the marketing and resale price of the property
now being purchased by the Homeowner.
F. Homeowner and CLT agree that the terms of this Lease further their shared goals over an
extended period of time and through a succession of owners.
NOW THEREFORE, Homeowner and CLT agree on all of the terms and conditions of this Lease as set
forth below.
DEFINITIONS: Homeowner and CLT agree on the following definitions of key terms used in this
Lease.
Leased Land: the parcel of land, described in Exhibit: LEASED LAND, which is leased to the
Homeowner.
Home: the residential structure and other permanent improvements located on the Leased Land and
owned by the Homeowner, including both the original Home described in Exhibit: DEED, and all
permanent improvements added thereafter by Homeowner at Homeowner’s expense.
Base Price: the total price that is paid for the Home by the Homeowner (including the amount
provided by a first mortgage loan but not including subsidy in the form of deferred loans to the
Homeowner).
Purchase Option Price: the maximum price the Homeowner is allowed to receive for the sale of the
Home and the Homeowner’s right to possess, occupy and use the Leased Land, as defined in Article
10 of this Lease.
Fee: The monthly fee that the Homeowner pays to the CLT for the continuing use of the Leased Land
and any additional amounts that the CLT charges to the Homeowner for reasons permitted by this
Lease.
Permitted Mortgage: A mortgage or deed of trust on the Home and the Homeowner’s right to
possess, occupy and use the Leased Land granted to a lender by the Homeowner with the CLT’s
Permission. The Homeowner may not mortgage the CLT’s interest in the Leased Land, and may not
grant any mortgage or deed of trust without CLT’s Permission.
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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Event of Default: Any violation of the terms of the Lease unless it has been corrected (“cured”) by
Homeowner or the holder of a Permitted Mortgage in the specified period of time after a written
Notice of Default has been given by CLT.
ARTICLE 1: Homeowner’s Letter of Agreement and Attorney’s Letter of Acknowledgment are
Attached as Exhibits.
Attached as Exhibit HOMEOWNER’S LETTER OF AGREEMENT AND ATTORNEY’S LETTER OF
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and made part of this Lease by reference are a Letter of Agreement from the
Homeowner, describing the Homeowner’s understanding and acceptance of this Lease (including the
parts of the Lease that affect the resale of the Home) and a Letter of Acknowledgment from the
Homeowner’s attorney, describing the attorney’s review of the Lease with the Homeowner.
Comment: As many community land trusts across the country do, will this CLT require homebuyers, as a
condition of closing, to meet with an attorney for an explanation and review of the terms and conditions of the
deal they are about to enter? The intent of this requirement is simply to make sure that the homebuyer
household understands the benefits and responsibilities of buying, owning, and selling a CLT home. If this were
a requirement, the CLT could help defray the cost by orienting interested local attorneys and asking them to
provide this service for CLT homebuyers on a pro bono or reduced-fee basis.
ARTICLE 2: Leasing of Rights to the Land
2.1 CLT LEASES THE LAND TO HOMEOWNER: The CLT hereby leases to the Homeowner, and
Homeowner hereby accepts, the right to possess, occupy and use the Leased Land (described in the
attached Exhibit LEASED LAND) in accordance with the terms of this Lease. CLT has furnished to
Homeowner a copy of the most current title report, if any, obtained by CLT for the Leased Land, and
Homeowner accepts title to the Leased Land in its condition “as is” as of the signing of this Lease.
2.2 MINERAL RIGHTS NOT LEASED TO HOMEOWNER: CLT does not lease to Homeowner the right to
remove from the Leased Land any minerals lying beneath the Leased Land’s surface. Ownership of
such minerals remains with the CLT, but the CLT shall not remove any such minerals from the
Leased Land without the Homeowner’s written permission.
ARTICLE 3: Term of Lease, Change of Land Owner
3.1 TERM OF LEASE IS 99 YEARS: This Lease shall remain in effect for 99 years, beginning on the ___
day of _________________, 20__, and ending on the ________ day of ______________, 20____,
unless ended sooner or renewed as provided below.
Comment: Initial lease term for CLTs in most states is for 99 years.
3.2 HOMEOWNER CAN RENEW LEASE FOR ANOTHER 99 YEARS: Homeowner may renew this Lease
for one additional period of 99 years. The CLT may change the terms of the Lease for the renewal
period prior to the beginning of the renewal period but only if these changes do not materially and
adversely interfere with the rights possessed by Homeowner under the Lease. Not more than 365
nor less than 180 days before the last day of the first 99-year period, CLT shall give Homeowner a
written notice that states the date of the expiration of the first 99-year period and the conditions for
renewal as set forth in the following paragraph (“the Expiration Notice”). The Expiration Notice shall
also describe any changes that CLT intends to make in the Lease for the renewal period as permitted
above.
Comment: This section allows for renewal for second, consecutive 99-year term.
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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The Homeowner shall then have the right to renew the Lease only if the following conditions are met:
(a) within 60 days of receipt of the Expiration Notice, the Homeowner shall give CLT written notice
stating the Homeowner’s desire to renew (“the Renewal Notice”); (b) this Lease shall be in effect on
the last day of the original 99-year term, and (c) the Homeowner shall not be in default under this
Lease or under any Permitted Mortgage on the last day of the original 99-year term.
When Homeowner has exercised the option to renew, Homeowner and CLT shall sign a memorandum
stating that the option has been exercised. The memorandum shall comply with the requirements for
a notice of lease as stated in Section 14.12 below. The CLT shall record this memorandum in
accordance with the requirements of law promptly after the beginning of the renewal period.
3.3 WHAT HAPPENS IF CLT DECIDES TO SELL THE LEASED LAND: If ownership of the Leased Land is
ever transferred by CLT (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) to any other person or institution, this
Lease shall not cease, but shall remain binding on the new land-owner as well as the Homeowner. If
CLT agrees to transfer the Leased Land to any person or institution other than a non-profit
corporation, charitable trust, government agency or other similar institution sharing the goals
described in the Recitals above, the Homeowner shall have a right of first refusal to purchase the
Leased Land. The details of this right shall be as stated in the attached Exhibit FIRST REFUSAL. Any
sale or other transfer contrary to this Section 3.3 shall be null and void.
Comment: In the event that Hometown ever dissolves (voluntarily or involuntarily) and the ownership of the
land needs to transfer to an entity that shares the CLT’s goals and has the capacity to manage its
responsibilities, the lease remains valid and binding. If such transfer of the ownership of the land is made to an
entity that does not share Hometown CLT’s goals or does not have the capacity to step into the CLT’s shoes and
manage its responsibilities, the homeowner may purchase the land leased to him/her. Should this happen, any
subsidy funding subject to remaining affordability restrictions will need to be repaid to the subsidy provider. It
bears noting, however, that there have been no CLT dissolutions in recent decades.
ARTICLE 4: Use of Leased Land
4.1 HOMEOWNER MAY USE THE HOME ONLY FOR RESIDENTIAL AND RELATED PURPOSES:
Homeowner shall use, and allow others to use, the Home and Leased Land only for residential
purposes and any activities related to residential use that are permitted by local codes.
4.2 HOMEOWNER MUST USE THE HOME AND LEASED LAND RESPONSIBLY AND IN COMPLIANCE
WITH THE LAW: Homeowner shall use the Home and Leased Land in a way that will not cause harm
to others or create any public nuisance. Homeowner shall dispose of all waste in a safe and sanitary
manner. Homeowner shall maintain all parts of the Home and Leased Land in safe, sound and
habitable condition, in full compliance with all laws and regulations, and in the condition that is
required to maintain the insurance coverage required by Section 9.4 of this Lease.
Comment: By signing this lease agreement, homeowners agree to comply with all laws, ordinances, codes, and
HOA CC&Rs, if any, as well as the other terms and conditions of this lease agreement. Non-compliance is
grounds for the CLT declaring a default on the ground lease.
4.3 HOMEOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR USE BY OTHERS: Homeowner shall be responsible for the use
of the Home and Leased Land by all residents and visitors and anyone else using the Leased Land
with Homeowner’s permission and shall make all such people aware of the restrictions on use set
forth in this Lease.
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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4.4 HOMEOWNER MUST OCCUPY THE HOME FOR AT LEAST _____ MONTHS EACH YEAR:
Homeowner shall occupy the Home for at least ___ (__) months of each year of this Lease, unless
otherwise agreed by CLT. Occupancy by Homeowner’s child, spouse, domestic partner or other
persons approved by CLT shall be considered occupancy by Homeowner. Neither compliance with
the occupancy requirement nor CLT’s permission for an extended period of non-occupancy
constitutes permission to sublease the Leased Land and Home, which is addressed in Section 4.5
below.
Comment: The Hometown CLT, like all other CLTs, will require owner-occupancy of its homes – and will need to
define what constitutes compliance with this requirement. Stipulating a certain number of months of occupancy
in each calendar year is a common way of doing so.
4.5 LEASED LAND MAY NOT BE SUBLEASED WITHOUT CLT’S PERMISSION: Except as otherwise
provided in Article 8 and Article 10, Homeowner shall not sublease, sell or otherwise convey any of
Homeowner’s rights under this Lease, for any period of time, without the written permission of CLT.
Homeowner agrees that CLT shall have the right to withhold such consent in order to further the
purposes of this Lease.
Comment: Immediately following the owner-occupancy requirement [above] is the prohibition on subletting the
home and leased land without express, prior, written permission from the CLT.
If permission for subleasing is granted, the sublease shall be subject to the following conditions.
a) Any sublease shall be subject to all of the terms of this Lease.
b) The rental or occupancy fee charged the sub-lessee shall not be more than the amount of the
Lease Fee charged the Homeowner by the CLT, plus an amount approved by CLT to cover
Homeowner’s costs in owning the Home, including but not limited to the cost of taxes,
insurance and mortgage interest.
Comment: In the event that permission to sublet is granted to a homeowner by HometownCLT, these
protections govern the subletting arrangement.
4.6 CLT HAS A RIGHT TO INSPECT THE LEASED LAND: The CLT may inspect any part of the Leased
Land except the interiors of fully enclosed buildings, at any reasonable time, after notifying the
Homeowner at least 48 hours before the planned inspection. No more than one (1) regular
inspection may be carried out in a single year, except in the case of an emergency. In an emergency,
the CLT may inspect any part of the Leased Land except the interiors of fully enclosed buildings, after
making reasonable efforts to inform the Homeowner before the inspection.
If the CLT has received an Intent-To-Sell Notice (as described in Section 10.4 below), then the CLT has
the right to inspect the interiors of all fully enclosed buildings to determine their condition prior to
the sale. The CLT must notify the Homeowner at least 48 hours before carrying out such inspection.
Comment: In order to maintain contact with its homeowners – and as a tool to monitor the homeowner’s
wellbeing and compliance with the lease agreement they signed – Hometown CLT will reserve the right to
inspect, with notice, the Leased Land. A further decision will be needed whether the CLT will have the right to
inspect the interior of a CLT homeowner’s home.
4.7 HOMEOWNER HAS A RIGHT TO QUIET ENJOYMENT: Homeowner has the right to quiet
enjoyment of the Leased Land. The CLT has no desire or intention to interfere with the personal
lives, associations, expressions, or actions of the Homeowner in any way not permitted by this Lease.
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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ARTICLE 5: Lease Fee
5.1 AMOUNT OF LEASE FEE: The Homeowner shall pay a monthly Lease Fee in the amount of $____
to be paid in return for the continuing right to possess, occupy and use the Leased Land, plus (b) a
Repair and Replacement Reserve Fee of $__.00 to be held by the CLT and used for the purpose of
preserving the physical quality of the Home for the long term in accordance with Section 7.6 below.
Comment: Each CLT homeowner will be required to pay a monthly lease fee to Hometown CLT in an amount to
be determined. An additional decision will need to be made regarding whether HCLT, like other CLTs, will also
require homeowners to pay a monthly “Repair and Replacement Reserve Fee” of some amount. [see Section 7.6
for explanation]. These combined monthly fees will need to be factored into the initial affordable pricing and
subsidy investments for Hometown CLT’s homes.
5.2 WHEN THE LEASE FEE IS TO BE PAID (DUE DATE): The Lease Fee shall be payable to CLT on the
first day of each month for as long as this Lease remains in effect, unless the Lease Fee is to be
escrowed and paid by a Permitted Mortgagee, in which case payment shall be made as directed by
that Mortgagee.
5.3 HOW THE AMOUNT OF THE LEASE FEE HAS BEEN DETERMINED: The amount of the Lease Fee
stated in Section 5.1 above has been determined as follows. First, the approximate monthly fair
rental value of the Leased Land has been established, as of the beginning of the Lease term,
recognizing that the fair rental value is reduced by certain restrictions imposed by the Lease on the
use of the Land. Then the affordability of this monthly amount, plus the amount of the Repair
Reserve Fee, for the Homeowner has been analyzed and, if necessary, the Lease has been reduced to
an amount considered to be affordable for Homeowner.
Comment: This explanation of how the lease fees is determined has been added for two reasons: (1) to make
sure the homeowner understands that a conscious decision was made by the Hometown CLT to keep this
monthly fees low; and (2) to justify BCLT’s ability to raise this fee in the event that, following foreclosure, the
mortgagee (the bank) sells the property to someone who is not income-qualified and can, therefore, afford to
pay Hometown CLT a higher monthly lease fee. [See 5.6 below].
5.4 CLT MAY REDUCE OR SUSPEND THE LEASE FEE TO IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY: CLT may reduce or
suspend the total amount of the Lease Fee for a period of time for the purpose of improving the
affordability of the Homeowner’s monthly housing costs. Any such reduction or suspension must be
in writing and signed by CLT.
5.5 FEES MAY BE INCREASED FROM TIME TO TIME: The CLT may increase the amount of the Lease
Fee and/or the Repair Reserve Fee from time to time, but not more often than annually. Each time
such amounts are increased, the total percentage of increase since the date this Lease was signed
shall not be greater than the percentage of increase, over the same period of time, in the Consumer
Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the urban area in which the Leased Land
is located, or, if none, for urban areas the size of ____________.
Comment: The Lease Fee and/or the Repair Reserve Fee may only be increased annually and the increase will be
capped in some way. In this example, the increase is capped in some to-be-determined way. The example here
caps any annual increases at the percentage increase in the local CPI for the previous year.
5.6 LEASE FEE WILL BE INCREASED IF RESTRICTIONS ARE REMOVED: If, for any reason, the provisions
of Article 10 regarding transfers of the Home or Sections 4.4 and 4.5 regarding occupancy and
subleasing are suspended or invalidated for any period of time, then during that time the Fee shall be
increased to an amount calculated by CLT to equal the fair rental value of the Leased Land for use not
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restricted by the suspended provisions, but initially an amount not exceeding five hundred dollars
($500). Such increase shall become effective upon CLT’s written notice to Homeowner. Thereafter,
for so long as these restrictions are not reinstated in the Lease, the CLT may, from time to time,
further increase the amount of such Lease Fee, provided that the amount of the Lease Fee does not
exceed the fair rental value of the property, and provided that such increases do not occur more
often than once every year.
5.7 IF PAYMENT IS LATE, $5.00 LATE FEE CAN BE CHARGED: If the CLT has not received any monthly
installment of the Lease Fee on or before the date on which the such installment first becomes
payable under this Lease (the “Due Date”), the CLT may require Homeowner to pay interest on the
unpaid amount from the Due Date through and including the date such payment or installment is
received by CLT, at a rate not to exceed ___%. Such interest shall be deemed additional Lease Fee
and shall be paid by Homeowner to CLT upon demand; provided, however, that CLT shall waive any
such interest that would otherwise be payable to CLT if such payment of the Lease Fee is received by
CLT on or before the thirtieth (30th) day after the Due Date.
5.8 CLT CAN COLLECT UNPAID FEES WHEN HOME IS SOLD: In the event that any amount of payable
Lease Fee remains unpaid when the Home is sold, the outstanding amount of payable Lease Fee,
including any interest as provided above, shall be paid to CLT out of any proceeds from the sale that
would otherwise be due to Homeowner. The CLT shall have, and the Homeowner hereby consents
to, a lien upon the Home for any unpaid Lease Fee. Such lien shall be prior to all other liens and
encumbrances on the Home except (a) liens and encumbrances recorded before the recording of this
Lease, (b) Permitted Mortgages as defined in section 8.1 below; and (c) liens for real property taxes
and other governmental assessments or charges against the Home.
ARTICLE 6: Taxes and Assessments
6.1 HOMEOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS: Homeowner shall pay
directly, when due, all taxes and governmental assessments that relate to the Home and the Leased
Land (including any taxes relating to the CLT’s interest in the Leased Land).
Comment: Each Hometown CLT homeowner will be responsible for payment of real estate taxes on the home
she owns and the land she leases, as well as any additional assessments on the property.
6.2 CLT WILL PASS ON ANY TAX BILLS IT RECEIVES TO HOMEOWNER: In the event that the local
taxing authority bills CLT for any portion of the taxes on the Home or Leased Land, CLT shall pass the
bill to Homeowner and Homeowner shall promptly pay this bill.
6.3 HOMEOWNER HAS A RIGHT TO CONTEST TAXES: Homeowner shall have the right to contest the
amount or validity of any taxes relating to the Home and Leased Land. Upon receiving a reasonable
request from Homeowner for assistance in this matter, CLT shall join in contesting such taxes.
Homeowner shall pay all costs of such proceedings.
6.4 IF HOMEOWNER FAILS TO PAY TAXES, CLT MAY INCREASE LEASE FEE: In the event that
Homeowner fails to pay the taxes or other charges described in Section 6.1 above, CLT may increase
Homeowner’s Lease Fee to offset the amount of taxes and other charges owed by Homeowner.
Upon collecting any such amount, CLT shall pay the amount collected to the taxing authority in a
timely manner.
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6.5 PARTY THAT PAYS TAXES MUST SHOW PROOF: When either party pays taxes relating to the
Home or Leased Land, that party shall furnish satisfactory evidence of the payment to the other
party. A photocopy of a receipt shall be the usual method of furnishing such evidence.
ARTICLE 7: The Home
7.1 HOMEOWNER OWNS THE HOUSE AND ALL OTHER IMPROVEMENTS ON THE LEASED LAND: All
structures, including the house, fixtures, and other improvements purchased, constructed, or
installed by the Homeowner on any part of the Leased Land at any time during the term of this Lease
(collectively, the “Home”) shall be property of the Homeowner. Title to the Home shall be and
remain vested in the Homeowner. However, Homeowner’s rights of ownership are limited by certain
provisions of this Lease, including provisions regarding the sale or leasing of the Home by the
Homeowner and the CLT’s option to purchase the Home. In addition, Homeowner shall not remove
any part of the Home from the Leased Land without CLT’s prior written consent.
7.2 HOMEOWNER PURCHASES HOME WHEN SIGNING LEASE: Upon the signing of this Lease,
Homeowner is simultaneously purchasing the Home located at that time on the Leased Land, as
described in the Deed, a copy of which is attached to this Lease as Exhibit: DEED.
7.3 CONSTRUCTION CARRIED OUT BY HOMEOWNER MUST COMPLY WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS:
Any construction in connection with the Home is permitted only if the following requirements are
met: (a) all costs shall be paid for by the Homeowner; (b) all construction shall be performed in a
professional manner and shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations; (c) all changes in the
Home shall be consistent with the permitted uses described in Article 4; (d) the footprint, square-
footage, or height of the house shall not be increased and new structures shall not be built or
installed on the Leased Land without the prior written consent of CLT.
Comment: CLT homeowners will be required to get written permission from Hometown CLT before making
capital improvements to his/her home. This section outlines what constitutes a capital improvement that
requires prior approval as well as the information to be provided in writing to Hometown CLT, as part of this
request.
For any construction requiring CLT’s prior written consent, Homeowner shall submit a written
request to the CLT. Such request shall include:
a) a written statement of the reasons for undertaking the construction;
b) a set of drawings (floor plan and elevations) showing the dimensions of the proposed
construction;
c) a list of the necessary materials, with quantities needed;
d) a statement of who will do the work;
If the CLT finds it needs additional information it shall request such information from Homeowner
within two weeks of receipt of Homeowner’s request. The CLT then, within two weeks of receiving
all necessary information (including any additional information it may have requested) shall give
Homeowner either its written consent or a written statement of its reasons for not consenting.
Before construction can begin, Homeowner shall provide CLT with copies of all necessary building
permits, if not previously provided.
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7.4 HOMEOWNER MAY NOT ALLOW STATUTORY LIENS TO REMAIN AGAINST LEASED LAND OR
HOME: No lien of any type shall attach to the CLT’s title to the Leased Land. Homeowner shall not
permit any statutory or similar lien to be filed against the Leased Land or the Home that remains
more than 60 days after it has been filed. Homeowner shall take action to discharge such lien,
whether by means of payment, deposit, bond, court order, or other means permitted by law. If
Homeowner fails to discharge such lien within the 60-day period, then Homeowner shall immediately
notify CLT of such failure. CLT shall have the right to discharge the lien by paying the amount in
question. Homeowner may, at Homeowner’s expense, contest the validity of any such asserted lien,
provided Homeowner has furnished a bond or other acceptable surety in an amount sufficient to
release the Leased Land from such lien. Any amounts paid by CLT to discharge such liens shall be
treated as an additional Lease Fee payable by Homeowner upon demand.
7.5 HOMEOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVICES, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS: Homeowner hereby
assumes responsibility for furnishing all services or facilities on the Leased Land, including but not
limited to heat, electricity, air conditioning and water. CLT shall not be required to furnish any
services or facilities or to make any repairs to the Home. Homeowner shall maintain the Home and
Leased Land as required by Section 4.2 above and shall see that all necessary repairs and
replacements are accomplished when needed.
Comment: Hometown CLT homeowners will have the same responsibility for caring for and maintaining the
home they own and the land they lease as any homeowner.
7.6 A REPAIR RESERVE FUND IS ESTABISHED TO SUPPORT FUTURE REPAIRS:
(a) The parties acknowledge that the Homeowner is responsible for all maintenance and repair
of the Home, as set forth in this Lease. As an additional assurance that all Homeowners are able to
comply with their maintenance and repair obligations, CLT and Homeowner agree that a Repair and
Replacement Reserve Fee will be collected from each Homeowner as part of the Fee, as provided in
Section 5.1(b) and held as a reserve by CLT for any significant required maintenance and approved
features of the Home.
(b) The Repair and Replacement Reserve Fee shall be accounted for separately by the CLT for
each Improvement and shall only be released by CLT at its sole discretion for each individual property
for which the Repair and Replacement Reserve Fee was paid. Homeowner may request release of the
funds, and CLT shall release funds at its sole discretion, if the requested use is found to be necessary
and in accordance with the fund’s intended use. CLT may reasonably withhold Repair and
Replacement Reserve Fee funds if the requested use is for purely aesthetic exterior alterations or to
repair items damaged by neglect.
(c) Homeowner acknowledges that the Repair and Replacement Reserve Fund is intended for,
and shall remain with, the Home and not the Homeowner. In the event the Home is sold or
transferred by Homeowner, the unused Repair and Replacement Reserve funds will be retained in
the fund by CLT for future maintenance and repair needs to the Home and will not be recoverable by
or returned to Homeowner for any purpose other than those described in Section 7.6(a). It is the
Homeowner’s responsibility to fund from Homeowner’s resources all required maintenance and
repair needs of the Home that are not, or cannot be, covered by the Repair & Replacement Reserve
funds held by CLT.
Comment: In the event that Hometown CLT homeowners will be required to pay a monthly Repair and
Replacement Reserve Fee, this section will describe the use of the reserve fund.
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7.7 WHEN LEASE ENDS, OWNERSHIP REVERTS TO CLT, WHICH SHALL REIMBURSE HOMEOWNER:
Upon the expiration or termination of this Lease, ownership of the Home shall revert to CLT. Upon
thus assuming title to the Home, CLT shall promptly pay Homeowner and Permitted Mortgagee(s), as
follows:
FIRST, CLT shall pay any Permitted Mortgagee(s) the full amount owed to such mortgagee(s) by
Homeowner insofar as the amount does not exceed the Purchase Option Price. In no event shall the
total amount that the CLT is required to pay Permitted Mortgagee be greater than the Purchase
Option Price;
SECOND, CLT shall pay the Homeowner the balance of the Purchase Option Price calculated in
accordance with Article 10 below, as of the time of reversion of ownership, less the total amount of
any unpaid Lease Fee and any other amounts owed to the CLT under the terms of this Lease. The
Homeowner shall be responsible for any costs necessary to clear any additional liens or other charges
related to the Home that may be assessed against the Home. If the Homeowner fails to clear such
liens or charges, the balance due the Homeowner shall also be reduced by the amount necessary to
release such liens or charges, including reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by the CLT.
ARTICLE 8: Financing
Comment: Article 8, as well as the referenced Exhibit, “Permitted Mortgages”, is standard language in the lease
agreements of all other CLTs. As this language is required by mortgage lenders originating CLT leasehold
mortgages, as well as by Fannie Mae, the language in this Article and the Exhibit should not be revised.
8.1 HOMEOWNER CANNOT MORTGAGE THE HOME WITHOUT CLT’s PERMISSION: The Homeowner
may mortgage the Home only with the written permission of CLT. Any mortgage or deed of trust
permitted in writing by the CLT is defined as a Permitted Mortgage, and the holder of such a
mortgage or deed of trust is defined as a Permitted Mortgagee.
8.2 BY SIGNING LEASE, CLT GIVES PERMISSION FOR ORIGINAL MORTGAGE. By signing this Lease, CLT
gives written permission for any mortgage or deed of trust signed by the Homeowner effective on
the day this Lease is signed for the purpose of financing Homeowner’s purchase of the Home.
8.3 CLT MUST GET SPECIFIC PERMISSION FOR REFINANCING OR OTHER SUBSEQUENT MORTGAGES.
If, at any time subsequent to the purchase of the Home and signing of the Lease, the Homeowner
seeks a loan that is to be secured by a mortgage on the Home (to refinance an existing Permitted
Mortgage or to finance home repairs or for any other purpose), Homeowner must inform CLT, in
writing, of the proposed terms and conditions of such mortgage loan at least 30 days prior to the
expected closing of the loan. The information to be provided to the CLT must include:
a) the name of the proposed lender;
b) Homeowner’s reason for requesting the loan;
c) the principal amount of the proposed loan and the total mortgage debt that will result from
the combination of the loan and existing mortgage debt, if any;
d) expected closing costs;
e) the rate of interest;
f) the repayment schedule;
g) a copy of the appraisal commissioned in connection with the loan request.
CLT may also require Homeowner to submit additional information. CLT will not permit such a
mortgage loan if the loan increases Homeowner’s total mortgage debt to an amount greater than
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80% of the then current Purchase Option Price, calculated in accordance with Article 10 below, or if
the terms of the transaction otherwise threaten the interests of either the Homeowner or the CLT.
Comment: Like other CLTs, Hometown CLT will have the right (and the obligation) to approve all mortgage
financing for the homebuyer/homeowner – at initial purchase as well as for any future refinancing and home
equity loans.
8.4 CLT IS REQUIRED TO PERMIT A “STANDARD PERMITTED MORTGAGE.” The CLT shall be required
to permit any mortgage for which the mortgagee has signed a “Standard Permitted Mortgage
Agreement” as set forth in “Exhibit: Permitted Mortgages, Part C,” and for which the loan secured
thereby does not increase Homeowner’s total mortgage debt to an amount greater than 90% of the
then current Purchase Option Price, calculated in accordance with Article 10 below.
Comment: The CLT board of directors will need to decide the maximum mortgage debt that it will allow its CLT
homeowners to take on, capped at more than a specified percentage (e.g., 80% or 90%) of the price for which
their home can be sold.
8.5 A PERMITTED MORTGAGEE HAS CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE LEASE. Any Permitted
Mortgagee shall be bound by each of the requirements stated in “Exhibit: Permitted Mortgages, Part
A, Obligations of Permitted Mortgagee,” which is made a part of this Lease by reference, unless the
particular requirement is removed, contradicted or modified by a Rider to this Lease signed by the
Homeowner and the CLT to modify the terms of the Lease during the term of the Permitted
Mortgage.
8.6 A PERMITTED MORTGAGEE HAS CERTAIN RIGHTS UNDER THE LEASE. Any Permitted Mortgagee
shall have all of the rights and protections stated in “Exhibit: Permitted Mortgages, Part B, Rights of
Permitted Mortgagee,” which is made a part of this Lease by reference.
8.7 IN THE EVENT OF FORECLOSURE, ANY PROCEEDS IN EXCESS OF THE PURCHASE OPTION PRICE
WILL GO TO CLT. Homeowner and CLT recognize that it would be contrary to the purposes of this
agreement if Homeowner could receive more than the Purchase Option Price as the result of the
foreclosure of a mortgage. Therefore, Homeowner hereby irrevocably assigns to CLT all net proceeds
of sale of the Home that would otherwise have been payable to Homeowner and that exceed the
amount of net proceeds that Homeowner would have received if the property had been sold for the
Purchase Option Price, calculated as described in Section 10.10 below. Homeowner authorizes and
instructs the Permitted Mortgagee, or any party conducting any sale, to pay such excess amount
directly to CLT. If, for any reason, such excess amount is paid to Homeowner, Homeowner hereby
agrees to promptly pay such amount to CLT.
ARTICLE 9: Liability, Insurance, Damage and Destruction, Eminent Domain
9.1 HOMEOWNER ASSUMES ALL LIABILITY. Homeowner assumes all responsibility and liability
related to Homeowner’s possession, occupancy and use of the Leased Land.
9.2 HOMEOWNER MUST DEFEND CLT AGAINST ALL CLAIMS OF LIABILITY. Homeowner shall defend,
indemnify and hold CLT harmless against all liability and claims of liability for injury or damage to
person or property from any cause on or about the Leased Land. Homeowner waives all claims
against CLT for injury or damage on or about the Leased Land. However, CLT shall remain liable for
injury or damage due to the grossly negligent or intentional acts or omissions of CLT or CLT’s agents
or employees.
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9.3 HOMEOWNER MUST REIMBURSE CLT. In the event the CLT shall be required to pay any sum that
is the Homeowner’s responsibility or liability, the Homeowner shall reimburse the CLT for such
payment and for reasonable expenses caused thereby.
9.4 HOMEOWNER MUST INSURE THE HOME AGAINST LOSS AND MUST MAINTAIN LIABILITY
INSURANCE ON HOME AND LEASED LAND. Homeowner shall, at Homeowner’s expense, keep the
Home continuously insured against “all risks” of physical loss, using Insurance Services Office (ISO)
Form HO 00 03, or its equivalent, for the full replacement value of the Home, and in any event in an
amount that will not incur a coinsurance penalty. The amount of such insured replacement value
must be approved by the CLT prior to the commencement of the Lease. Thereafter, if the CLT
determines that the replacement value to be insured should be increased, the CLT shall inform the
Homeowner of such required increase at least 30 days prior to the next date on which the insurance
policy is to be renewed, and the Homeowner shall assure that the renewal includes such change. If
Homeowner wishes to decrease the amount of replacement value to be insured, Homeowner shall
inform the CLT of the proposed change at least 30 days prior to the time such change would take
effect. The change shall not take effect without CLT’s approval.
Should the Home lie in a flood hazard zone as defined by the National Flood Insurance Plan, the
Homeowner shall keep in full force and effect flood insurance in the maximum amount available.
The Homeowner shall also, at its sole expense, maintain in full force and effect public liability
insurance covering the Home and the Leased Land using ISO Form HO 00 03 or its equivalent in the
amount of __________________ dollars ($__________) per occurrence and in the aggregate. The
CLT shall be named as an additional insured using ISO Form HO 04 41 or its equivalent, and
certificates of insurance shall be delivered to the CLT prior to the commencement of the Lease and at
each anniversary date thereof.
The dollar amounts of such coverage may be increased from time to time at the CLT’s request but
not more often than once in any one-year period. CLT shall inform the Homeowner of such required
increase in coverage at least 30 days prior to the next date on which the insurance policy is to be
renewed, and the Homeowner shall assure that the renewal includes such change. The amount of
such increase in coverage shall be based on current trends in homeowner’s liability insurance
coverage in the area in which the Home is located.
Comment: This section stipulates the level of insurance coverage that CLT homeowners will be required to carry
– for physical damage or loss (“full replacement value”) as well as for public liability coverage.
9.5 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOME IS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. Except as provided below, in the event
of fire or other damage to the Home, Homeowner shall take all steps necessary to assure the repair
of such damage and the restoration of the Home to its condition immediately prior to the damage.
All such repairs and restoration shall be completed as promptly as possible. Homeowner shall also
promptly take all steps necessary to assure that the Leased Land is safe and that the damaged Home
does not constitute a danger to persons or property.
If Homeowner, based on professional estimates, determines either (a) that full repair and restoration
is physically impossible, or (b) that the available insurance proceeds will pay for less than the full cost
of necessary repairs and that Homeowner cannot otherwise afford to cover the balance of the cost
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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of repairs, then Homeowner shall notify CLT of this problem, and CLT may then help to resolve the
problem. Methods used to resolve the problem may include efforts to increase the available
insurance proceeds, efforts to reduce the cost of necessary repairs, efforts to arrange affordable
financing covering the costs of repair not covered by insurance proceeds, and any other methods
agreed upon by both Homeowner and CLT.
If Homeowner and CLT cannot agree on a way of restoring the Home in the absence of adequate
insurance proceeds, then Homeowner may give CLT written notice of intent to terminate the Lease.
The date of actual termination shall be no less than 60 days after the date of Homeowner’s notice of
intent to terminate. Upon termination, any insurance proceeds payable to Homeowner for damage
to the Home shall be paid as follows.
FIRST, to the expenses of their collection;
SECOND, to any Permitted Mortgagee(s), to the extent required by the Permitted Mortgage(s);
THIRD, to the expenses of enclosing or razing the remains of the Home and clearing debris;
FOURTH, to the CLT for any amounts owed under this Lease;
FIFTH, to the Homeowner, up to an amount equal to the Purchase Option Price, as of the day prior to
the loss, less any amounts paid with respect to the second, third, and fourth clauses above;
SIXTH, the balance, if any, to the CLT.
9.6 WHAT HAPPENS IF SOME OR ALL OF THE LAND IS TAKEN FOR PUBLIC USE. If all of the Leased
Land is taken by eminent domain or otherwise for public purposes, or if so much of the Leased Land
is taken that the Home is lost or damaged beyond repair, the Lease shall terminate as of the date
when Homeowner is required to give up possession of the Leased Land. Upon such termination, the
entire amount of any award(s) paid shall be allocated in the way described in Section 9.5 above for
insurance proceeds.
In the event of a taking of a portion of the Leased Land that does not result in damage to the Home
or significant reduction in the usefulness or desirability of the Leased Land for residential purposes,
then any monetary compensation for such taking shall be allocated entirely to CLT.
In the event of a taking of a portion of the Leased Land that results in damage to the Home only to
such an extent that the Home can reasonably be restored to a residential use consistent with this
Lease, then the damage shall be treated as damage is treated in Section 9.5 above, and monetary
compensation shall be allocated as insurance proceeds are to be allocated under Section 9.5.
9.7 IF PART OF THE LAND IS TAKEN, THE LEASE FEE MAY BE REDUCED. In the event of any taking
that reduces the size of the Leased Land but does not result in the termination of the Lease, CLT shall
reassess the fair rental value of the remaining Land and shall adjust the Lease Fee if necessary to
assure that the monthly fee does not exceed the monthly fair rental value of the Land for use as
restricted by the Lease.
9.8 IF LEASE IS TERMINATED BY DAMAGE, DESTRUCTION OR TAKING, CLT WILL TRY TO HELP
HOMEOWNER BUY ANOTHER CLT HOME. If this Lease is terminated as a result of damage,
destruction or taking, CLT shall take reasonable steps to allow Homeowner to purchase another
home on another parcel of leased land owned by CLT if such home can reasonably be made available.
Hometown Community Land Trust Ground Lease April 2020
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If Homeowner purchases such a home, Homeowner agrees to apply any proceeds or award received
by Homeowner to the purchase of the home. Homeowner understands that there are numerous
reasons why it may not be possible to make such a home available, and shall have no claim against
CLT if such a home is not made available.
ARTICLE 10: Transfer of the Home
10.1 INTENT OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY: Homeowner and CLT agree that the
provisions of this Article 10 are intended to preserve the affordability of the Home for lower income
households and expand access to homeownership opportunities for such households.
10.2 HOMEOWNER MAY TRANSFER HOME ONLY TO CLT OR QUALIFIED PERSONS: Homeowner may
transfer the Home only to the CLT or an Income-Qualified Person as defined below or otherwise only
as explicitly permitted by the provisions of this Article 10. All such transfers are to be completed
only in strict compliance with this Article 10. Any purported transfer that does not follow the
procedures set forth below, except in the case of a transfer to a Permitted Mortgagee in lieu of
foreclosure, shall be null and void.
“Income-Qualified Person” shall mean a person or group of persons whose household income does
not exceed ____ percent (____%) of the median household income for _________ County as
calculated and adjusted for household size from time to time by the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) or any successor.
Comment: As stipulated here, a Hometown CLT homeowner may only sell their home to HCLT or to an “Income-
Qualified Person”, defined here as a household with an income not exceeding a specified percentage of the local
area median income.
10.3 THE HOME MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO CERTAIN HEIRS OF HOMEOWNER: If Homeowner dies (or
if the last surviving co-owner of the Home dies), the executor or personal representative of
Homeowner’s estate shall notify CLT within ninety (90) days of the date of the death. Upon receiving
such notice CLT shall consent to a transfer of the Home and Homeowner’s rights to the Leased Land
to one or more of the possible heirs of Homeowner listed below as “a,” “b,” or “c,” provided that a
Letter of Agreement and a Letter of Attorney’s Acknowledgement (as described in Article 1 above)
are submitted to CLT to be attached to the Lease when it is transferred to the heirs.
a) the spouse of the Homeowner; or
b) the child or children of the Homeowner; or
c) member(s) of the Homeowner’s household who have resided in the Home for at least
one year immediately prior to Homeowner’s death.
Any other heirs, legatees or devisees of Homeowner, in addition to submitting Letters of Agreement
and Acknowledgment as provided above, must demonstrate to CLT’s satisfaction that they are
Income-Qualified Persons as defined above. If they cannot demonstrate that they are Income-
Qualified Persons, they shall not be entitled to possession of the Home but must transfer the Home
in accordance with the provisions of this Article 10.
Comment: Unless you change this provision, designated heirs may remain in the home following the death of a
lessee, regardless of their income. Any other heirs would need to be income-qualified in order to move into the
home and assume the remainder of the lease term.
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10.4 HOMEOWNER’S NOTICE OF INTENT TO SELL: In the event that Homeowner wishes to sell
Homeowner’s Property, Homeowner shall notify CLT in writing of such wish (the Intent-to-Sell
Notice). This Notice shall include a statement as to whether Homeowner wishes to recommend a
prospective buyer as of the date of the Notice.
10.5 UPON RECEIVING NOTICE, CLT HAS AN OPTION TO PURCHASE THE HOME. Upon receipt of an
Intent-to-Sell Notice from Homeowner, CLT shall have the option to purchase the Home at the
Purchase Option Price calculated as set forth below. The Purchase Option is designed to further the
purpose of preserving the affordability of the Home for succeeding Income-Qualified Persons while
taking fair account of the investment by the Homeowner.
Comment: The Hometown CLT will carry a pre-emptive option to purchase a CLT home upon receiving notice of
intent to sell by the homeowner.
If CLT elects to purchase the Home, CLT shall exercise the Purchase Option by notifying Homeowner,
in writing, of such election (the Notice of Exercise of Option) within forty-five (45) days of the receipt
of the Intent-to-Sell Notice, or the Option shall expire. Having given such notice, CLT may either
proceed to purchase the Home directly or may assign the Purchase Option to an Income-Qualified
Person.
The purchase (by CLT or CLT’s assignee) must be completed within sixty (60) days of CLT’s Notice of
Exercise of Option, or Homeowner may sell the Home and Homeowner’s rights to the Leased Land as
provided in Section 10.7 below. The time permitted for the completion of the purchase may be
extended by mutual agreement of CLT and Homeowner.
Homeowner may recommend to CLT a prospective buyer who is an Income-Qualified Person and is
prepared to submit a Letter of Agreement and Attorney’s Letter of Acknowledgement indicating
informed acceptance of the terms of this Lease. CLT shall make reasonable efforts to arrange for the
assignment of the Purchase Option to such person, unless CLT determines that its charitable mission
is better served by retaining the Home for another purpose or transferring the Home to another
party.
10.6 IF PURCHASE OPTION EXPIRES, HOMEOWNER MAY SELL ON CERTAIN TERMS: If the Purchase
Option has expired or if CLT has failed to complete the purchase within the sixty-day period allowed
by Section 10.6 above, Homeowner may sell the Home to any Income-Qualified Person for not more
than the then applicable Purchase Option Price. If Homeowner has made diligent efforts to sell the
Home for at least six months after the expiration of the Purchase Option (or six months after the
expiration of such sixty-day period) and the Home still has not been sold, Homeowner may then sell
the Home, for a price no greater than the then applicable Purchase Option Price, to any party
regardless of whether that party is an Income-Qualified Person.
10.7 AFTER ONE YEAR CLT SHALL HAVE POWER OF ATTORNEY TO CONDUCT SALE: If CLT does not
exercise its option and complete the purchase of Homeowner’s Property as described above, and if
Homeowner (a) is not then residing in the Home and (b) continues to hold Homeowner’s Property
out for sale but is unable to locate a buyer and execute a binding purchase and sale agreement
within one year of the date of the Intent to Sell Notice, Homeowner does hereby appoint CLT its
attorney in fact to seek a buyer, negotiate a reasonable price that furthers the purposes of this Lease,
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sell the property, and pay to the Homeowner the proceeds of sale, minus CLT’s costs of sale and any
other sums owed CLT by Homeowner.
10.8 PURCHASE OPTION PRICE EQUALS LESSER OF APPRAISED VALUE OF THE HOME OR FORMULA
PRICE: In no event may the Home be sold for a price that exceeds the Purchase Option Price. The
Purchase Option Price shall be the lesser of (a) the Appraised Leasehold Value of Home at Resale or
(b) the price calculated in accordance with the formula described below. If CLT does not choose to
commission an Appraisal to determine the appraised value of the Home, the Purchase Option Price
shall be the Formula Price.
Comment: The resale price is always the lesser of (a) the appraised value of the leasehold estate or (b) the price
determined by the resale formula in this lease agreement. If there is concern the appraised value might be lower
than the formula price, Hometown CLT (in accordance with 10.9 immediately below) may order an appraisal to
establish the market value of the leasehold estate.
10.9 IF CLT BELIEVES LEASEHOLD VALUE MAY BE LESS THAN FORMULA PRICE: If CLT believes that the
leasehold value of the Home at Resale may be less that the Formula Price, CLT may, within 14 days of
receiving Homeowner’s Notice of Intent to Sell, commission a market leasehold valuation of the
Home to be performed by a duly licensed appraiser acceptable to CLT and Homeowner. CLT shall pay
the cost of such Appraisal. The Appraisal shall be conducted by analysis and comparison of
comparable properties as though title to Leased Land and Home were held in fee simple absolute by
a single party, disregarding all of the restrictions of this Lease on the use, occupancy and transfer of
the property. Copies of the Appraisal are to be provided to both CLT and Homeowner.
10.10 HOW THE FORMULA PRICE IS CALCULATED: The Formula Price shall be equal to the amount of
Homeowner’s Base Price (which CLT and Homeowner agree, as of the date of the signing of this
lease, is $_______) plus simple interest of one and one-half percent (1.50%) for each year the
Homeowner owns the Home.
Comment: All CLT resale formulas assume that CLT homeowners are able to keep their earned equity plus some
share of any increase, during their ownership, in the value of the improvements they own and the land they
lease. This resale formula is a placeholder, pending deliberation and decision-making by the Hometown CLT
board of directors. This is an example of a fixed-rate indexed resale formula, allowing the homeowner to receive
a return of 1.5% simple interest for each year they own and occupy the home. An alternative is to use an
appraisal-based resale formula that allows the seller to keep a designated percentage (e.g., 20% or 25%) of the
increase in the value of the leasehold estate from the date of purchase to the time of resale, as determined by
market appraisal. We will discuss, at length.
10.11 QUALIFIED PURCHASER SHALL RECEIVE NEW LEASE: The CLT shall issue a new lease to any
person who purchases the Home in accordance with the terms of this Article 10. The terms of such
lease shall be the same as those of new leases issued to homebuyers at that time for land not
previously leased by the CLT.
10.12 PURCHASER MAY BE CHARGED A TRANSFER FEE. In the event that Homeowner sells the home
to a party other than the CLT (whether directly to such party or as a result of CLT’s assignment of its
Purchase Option to such party), the price to be paid by such purchaser shall include in addition to the
Purchase Option Price, at the discretion of the CLT, a transfer fee to compensate the CLT for carrying
out its responsibilities with regard to the transaction. The amount of the transfer fee shall be no
more than ____% of the Purchase Option Price.
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Comment: Hometown CLT will have the right to mark up the price, modestly, to the incoming homebuyer – but
for no more than a specified – and modest – percentage of the Purchase Option Price.
10.13 HOMEOWNER REQUIRED TO MAKE NECESSARY REPAIRS AT TRANSFER: The Homeowner is
required to make necessary repairs when she voluntarily transfers the Home as follows:
a) The person purchasing the Home (“Buyer”) shall, prior to purchasing the Home, hire at her
sole expense a home inspector with a current Home Inspector license to assess the condition
of the Home and prepare a written report of the condition (“Inspection Report”). The
Homeowner shall cooperate fully with the inspection.
b) The Buyer shall provide a copy of the Inspection Report to Buyer’s lender (if any), the
Homeowner, and the CLT within 10 days after receiving the Inspection Report.
c) Homeowner shall repair specific reported defects or conditions necessary to bring the Home
into full compliance with Sections 4.2 and 7.5 above prior to transferring the Home.
d) Homeowner shall bear the full cost of the necessary repairs and replacements. However,
upon Homeowner’s written request, the CLT may allow the Homeowner to pay all or a
portion of the repair costs after transfer, from Homeowner’s proceeds of sale, if Homeowner
cannot afford to pay such costs prior to the transfer. In such event, either (i) 150% of the
unpaid estimated cost of repairs or (ii) 100% of the unpaid cost of completed repairs shall be
withheld from Homeowner’s proceeds of sale in a CLT-approved escrow account.
Homeowner shall allow CLT, Buyer, and Buyer’s building inspector and lender’s
representative to inspect the repairs prior to closing to determine that the repairs have been
satisfactorily completed.
e) Upon sale or other transfer, Homeowner shall either (i) transfer the Home with all originally
purchased appliances or replacements in the Home in good working order or (ii) reduce the
Purchase Option Price by the market value of any such appliances that are not left with the
Home in good working order.
Comment: This is a protection to ensure that the home is well cared for – and, in the unlikely event it is not, that
the homeowner will be responsible for paying for necessary repairs before resale.
ARTICLE 11: RESERVED
ARTICLE 12: DEFAULT
12.1 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOMEOWNER FAILS TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO THE CLT THAT ARE REQUIRED
BY THE LEASE: It shall be an event of default if Homeowner fails to pay the Lease Fee or other
charges required by the terms of this Lease and such failure is not cured by Homeowner or a
Permitted Mortgagee within thirty (30) days after notice of such failure is given by CLT to
Homeowner and Permitted Mortgagee. However, if Homeowner makes a good faith partial
payment of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the amount owed during the 30-day cure period, then the
cure period shall be extended by an additional 30 days.
12.2 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOMEOWNER VIOLATES OTHER (NONMONETARY) TERMS OF THE LEASE: It
shall be an event of default if Homeowner fails to abide by any other requirement or restriction
stated in this Lease, and such failure is not cured by Homeowner or a Permitted Mortgagee within
sixty (60) days after notice of such failure is given by CLT to Homeowner and Permitted Mortgagee.
However, if Homeowner or Permitted Mortgagee has begun to cure such default within the 60-day
cure period and is continuing such cure with due diligence but cannot complete the cure within the
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60-day cure period, the cure period shall be extended for as much additional time as may be
reasonably required to complete the cure.
12.3 WHAT HAPPENS IF HOMEOWNER DEFAULTS AS A RESULT OF JUDICIAL PROCESS: It shall be an
event of default if the estate hereby created is taken on execution or by other process of law, or if
Homeowner is judicially declared bankrupt or insolvent according to law, or if any assignment is
made of the property of Homeowner for the benefit of creditors, or if a receiver, trustee in
involuntary bankruptcy or other similar officer is appointed to take charge of any substantial part of
the Home or Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land by a court of competent jurisdiction, or if a
petition is filed for the reorganization of Homeowner under any provisions of the Bankruptcy Act
now or hereafter enacted, or if Homeowner files a petition for such reorganization, or for
arrangements under any provision of the Bankruptcy Act now or hereafter enacted and providing a
plan for a debtor to settle, satisfy or extend the time for payment of debts.
12.4 A DEFAULT (UNCURED VIOLATION) GIVES CLT THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE LEASE OR
EXERCISE ITS PURCHASE OPTION:
a) TERMINATION: In the case of any of the events of default described above, CLT may terminate
this lease and initiate summary proceedings under applicable law against Homeowner, and CLT shall
have all the rights and remedies consistent with such laws and resulting court orders to enter the
Leased Land and Home and repossess the entire Leased Land and Home, and expel Homeowner and
those claiming rights through Homeowner. In addition, CLT shall have such additional rights and
remedies to recover from Homeowner arrears of rent and damages from any preceding breach of
any covenant of this Lease. If this Lease is terminated by CLT pursuant to an Event of Default, then,
as provided in Section 7.7 above, upon thus assuming title to the Home, CLT shall pay to Homeowner
and any Permitted Mortgagee an amount equal to the Purchase Option Price calculated in
accordance with Section 10.9 above, as of the time of reversion of ownership, less the total amount
of any unpaid Lease Fee and any other amounts owed to the CLT under the terms of this Lease and
all reasonable costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by CLT in pursuit of its remedies
under this Lease.
If CLT elects to terminate the Lease, then the Permitted Mortgagee shall have the right (subject to
Article 8 above and the attached Exhibit: Permitted Mortgages) to postpone and extend the specified
date for the termination of the Lease for a period sufficient to enable the Permitted Mortgagee or its
designee to acquire Homeowner’s interest in the Home and the Leased Land by foreclosure of its
mortgage or otherwise.
b) EXERCISE OF OPTION: In the case of any of the events of default described above, Homeowner
hereby grants to the CLT (or its assignee) the option to purchase the Home for the Purchase Option
Price as such price is defined in Article 10 above. Within thirty (30) days after the expiration of any
applicable cure period as established in Sections 12.1 or 12.2 above or within 30 days after any of the
events constituting an Event of Default under Section 12.3 above, CLT shall notify the Homeowner
and the Permitted Mortgagee(s) of its decision to exercise its option to purchase under this Section
12.4(b). Not later than ninety (90) days after the CLT gives notice to the Homeowner of the CLT’s
intent to exercise its option under this Section 12.4(a), the CLT or its assignee shall purchase the
Home for the Purchase Option Price.
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12.5 WHAT HAPPENS IF CLT DEFAULTS: CLT shall in no event be in default in the performance of any
of its obligations under the Lease unless and until CLT has failed to perform such obligations within
sixty (60) days, or such additional time as is reasonably required to correct any default, after notice
by Homeowner to CLT properly specifying CLT’s failure to perform any such obligation.
Comment: This Article outlines what happens – and what recourse Hometown CLT will have – in the unlikely
event that a homeowner doesn’t abide by the terms of this agreement to which s/he is a party.
ARTICLE 13: Mediation and Arbitration
13.1 Nothing in this Lease shall be construed as preventing the parties from utilizing any process of
mediation or arbitration in which the parties agree to engage for the purpose of resolving a dispute.
13.2 Homeowner and CLT shall each pay one half (50%) of any costs incurred in carrying out
mediation or arbitration in which the parties have agreed to engage.
Comment: Disagreements and conflict between the homeowner and Hometown CLT that cannot be settled
otherwise can be taken to mediation or arbitration. If the dispute goes to arbitration or mediation, the CLT and
the homeowner agree to split the cost 50/50.
ARTICLE 14: GENERAL PROVISIONS
14.1 NOTICES: Whenever this Lease requires either party to give notice to the other, the notice shall
be given in writing and delivered in person or mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, to the party at the address set forth below, or such other address designated by like
written notice:
If to CLT: Hometown Community Land Trust (insert address here)
If to Homeowner: ____________________________________ (name of Homeowner)
All notices, demands and requests shall be effective upon being deposited in the United States Mail
or, in the case of personal delivery, upon actual receipt.
14.2 NO BROKERAGE: Homeowner warrants that it has not dealt with any real estate broker other
than __________________ in connection with the purchase of the Home. If any claim is made
against CLT regarding dealings with brokers other than _________________, Homeowner shall
defend CLT against such claim with counsel of CLT’s selection and shall reimburse CLT for any loss,
cost or damage which may result from such claim.
14.3 SEVERABILITY AND DURATION OF LEASE: If any part of this Lease is unenforceable or invalid,
such material shall be read out of this Lease and shall not affect the validity of any other part of this
Lease or give rise to any cause of action of Homeowner or CLT against the other, and the remainder
of this Lease shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law. It is the intention of
the parties that CLT’s option to purchase and all other rights of both parties under this Lease shall
continue in effect for the full term of this Lease and any renewal thereof, and shall be considered to
be coupled with an interest. In the event any such option or right shall be construed to be subject to
any rule of law limiting the duration of such option or right, the time period for the exercising of such
option or right shall be construed to expire twenty (20) years after the death of the last survivor of
the following persons:
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Comment: The Hometown CLT will list here an identifiable group of small children, e.g., the children living as of
the date of this Lease of any of the directors or employees of a specified entity.
14.4 RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL IN LIEU OF OPTION: If the provisions of the purchase option set forth
in Article 10 of this Lease shall, for any reason, become unenforceable, CLT shall nevertheless have a
right of first refusal to purchase the Home at the highest documented bona fide purchase price offer
made to Homeowner. Such right shall be as specified in Exhibit FIRST REFUSAL. Any sale or transfer
contrary to this Section, when applicable, shall be null and void.
14.5 WAIVER: The waiver by CLT at any time of any requirement or restriction in this Lease, or the
failure of CLT to take action with respect to any breach of any such requirement or restriction, shall
not be deemed to be a waiver of such requirement or restriction with regard to any subsequent
breach of such requirement or restriction, or of any other requirement or restriction in the Lease.
CLT may grant waivers in the terms of this Lease, but such waivers must be in writing and signed by
CLT before being effective.
The subsequent acceptance of Lease Fee payments by CLT shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any
preceding breach by Homeowner of any requirement or restriction in this Lease, other than the
failure of the Homeowner to pay the particular Lease Fee so accepted, regardless of CLT’s knowledge
of such preceding breach at the time of acceptance of such Lease Fee payment.
14.6 CLT’S RIGHT TO PROSECUTE OR DEFEND: CLT shall have the right, but shall have no obligation,
to prosecute or defend, in its own or the Homeowner’s name, any actions or proceedings
appropriate to the protection of its own or Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land. Whenever
requested by CLT, Homeowner shall give CLT all reasonable aid in any such action or proceeding.
14.7 CONSTRUCTION: Whenever in this Lease a pronoun is used it shall be construed to represent
either the singular or the plural, masculine or feminine, as the case shall demand.
14.8 HEADINGS AND TABLE OF CONTENTS: The headings, subheadings and table of contents
appearing in this Lease are for convenience only, and are not a part of this Lease and do not in any
way limit or amplify the terms or conditions of this Lease.
14.9 PARTIES BOUND: This Lease sets forth the entire agreement between CLT and Homeowner
with respect to the leasing of the Land; it is binding upon and inures to the benefit of these parties
and, in accordance with the provisions of this Lease, their respective successors in interest. This
Lease may be altered or amended only by written notice executed by CLT and Homeowner or their
legal representatives or, in accordance with the provisions of this Lease, their successors in interest.
14.10 GOVERNING LAW: This Lease shall be interpreted in accordance with and governed by the
laws of the State of Texas. The language in all parts of this Lease shall be, in all cases, construed
according to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against CLT or Homeowner.
14.11 RECORDING: The parties agree, as an alternative to the recording of this Lease, to execute a
so-called Notice of Lease or Short Form Lease in form recordable and complying with applicable law
and reasonably satisfactory to CLT’s attorneys. In no event shall such document state the rent or
other charges payable by Homeowner under this Lease; and any such document shall expressly state
that it is executed pursuant to the provisions contained in this Lease, and is not intended to vary the
terms and conditions of this Lease
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this lease at __________ on the day and year first
above written.
Hometown Community Land Trust
_______________________________ By: _________________________________
Witness Its duly authorized agent
______________________ (Homeowner):
_____________________________
Witness
[notarize signatures]
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Exhibit LETTER OF AGREEMENT
As referenced in Article 1.
To: Hometown Community Land Trust (“the CLT”)
Date: ____________
This letter is given to the CLT to become an exhibit to a Lease between the CLT and me. I will be
leasing a parcel of land from the CLT and will be buying the home that sits on that parcel of land. I
will therefore become what is described in the Lease as a “the Homeowner.”
I have reviewed the terms and conditions of the Lease and other legal documents that are part of this
transaction and have had the opportunity to have my legal counsel, if any, review the same.
I understand the way these terms and conditions will affect my rights as a CLT homeowner, now and
in the future.
In particular I understand and agree with the following points.
• One of the goals of the CLT is to keep CLT homes affordable for lower income households from
one CLT homeowner to the next. I support this goal as a CLT homeowner and as a member of
the CLT.
• The terms and conditions of my Lease will keep my home affordable for future “income-
qualified persons” (as defined in the Lease). If and when I want to sell my home, the lease
requires that I sell it either to the CLT or to another income-qualified person. The terms and
conditions of the lease also limit the price for which I can sell the home, in order to keep it
affordable for such income-qualified persons.
• It is also a goal of the CLT to promote resident ownership of CLT homes. For this reason, my
Lease requires that, if my family and I move out of our home permanently, we must sell it. We
cannot continue to own it as absentee owners.
• I understand that I can leave my home to my child or children or other members of my
household and that, after my death, they can own the home for as long as they want to live in it
and abide by the terms of the Lease, or they can sell it on the terms permitted by the Lease.
• As a CLT homeowner and a member of the CLT, it is my desire to see the terms of the Lease and
related documents honored. I consider these terms fair to others and me.
Sincerely
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Sample
Exhibit LETTER OF ATTORNEYS ACKNOWLEDGMENT
As referenced in Article 1.
I, ___________________________, have been independently employed by
_____________________________ (hereinafter “the Client”) who intends to purchase a house
and other Home (the “Home”) on land to be leased from the Hometown Community Land Trust. The
house and land are located at ______________________________________.
In connection with the contemplated purchase of the Home and the leasing of the land, I
reviewed with the Client the following documents:
a) this Letter of Attorney’s Acknowledgment and a Letter of Agreement from the Client;
b) a proposed Deed conveying the Home to the Client;
c) a proposed Ground Lease conveying the “Leased Land” to the Client;
d) other written materials provided by the CLT.
The Client has received full and complete information and advice regarding this conveyance and
the foregoing documents. In my review of these documents my purpose has been to reasonably
inform the Client of the present and foreseeable risks and legal consequences of the contemplated
transaction.
The Client is entering the aforesaid transaction in reliance on her own judgment and upon her
investigation of the facts. The advice and information provided by me was an integral element of
such investigation.
Name Date
Title
Firm/Address
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Exhibit LAND
Correct legal description of area of Leased Land and appurtenant title rights and obligations
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Exhibit DEED
Use actual deed.
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Exhibit: PERMITTED MORTGAGES
The rights and provisions set forth in this Exhibit shall be understood to be provisions of Section 8.2
of the Lease. All terminology used in this Exhibit shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Lease.
A. OBLIGATIONS OF PERMITTED MORTGAGEE. Any Permitted Mortgagee shall be bound by each of
the following requirements unless the particular requirement is removed, contradicted or modified
by a rider to this Lease signed by the Homeowner and the CLT to modify the terms of the Lease
during the term of the Permitted Mortgage.
1. If Permitted Mortgagee sends a notice of default to the Homeowner because the Homeowner has
failed to comply with the terms of the Permitted Mortgage, the Permitted Mortgagee shall, at the
same time, send a copy of that notice to the CLT. Upon receiving a copy of the notice of default and
within that period of time in which the Homeowner has a right to cure such default (the “cure
period”), the CLT shall have the right to cure the default on the Homeowner’s behalf, provided that
all current payments due the Permitted Mortgagee since the notice of default was given are made to
the Permitted Mortgagee.
2. If, after the cure period has expired, the Permitted Mortgagee intends to accelerate the note
secured by the Permitted Mortgage or begin foreclosure proceedings under the Permitted Mortgage,
the Permitted Mortgagee shall first notify CLT of its intention to do so, and CLT shall then have the
right, upon notifying the Permitted Mortgagee within thirty (30) days of receipt of such notice, to
acquire the Permitted Mortgage by paying off the debt secured by the Permitted Mortgage.
3. If the Permitted Mortgagee acquires title to the Home through foreclosure or acceptance of a
deed in lieu of foreclosure, the Permitted Mortgagee shall give CLT written notice of such acquisition
and CLT shall then have an option to purchase the Home from the Permitted Mortgagee for the full
amount owing to the Permitted Mortgagee under the Permitted Mortgage. To exercise this option
to purchase, CLT must give written notice to the Permitted Mortgagee of CLT’s intent to purchase the
Home within thirty (30) days following CLT’s receipt of the Permitted Mortgagee’s notice. CLT must
then complete the purchase of the Home within sixty (60) days of having given written notice of its
intent to purchase. If CLT does not complete the purchase within this 60-day period, the Permitted
Mortgagee shall be free to sell the Home to another person.
4. Nothing in the Permitted Mortgage or related documents shall be construed as giving Permitted
Mortgagee a claim on CLT’s interest in the Leased Land, or as assigning any form of liability to the CLT
with regard to the Leased Land, the Home, or the Permitted Mortgage.
5. Nothing in the Permitted Mortgage or related documents shall be construed as rendering CLT or
any subsequent Mortgagee of CLT’s interest in this Lease, or their respective heirs, executors,
successors or assigns, personally liable for the payment of the debt secured by the Permitted
Mortgage or any part thereof.
6. The Permitted Mortgagee shall not look to CLT or CLT’s interest in the Leased Land, but will look
solely to Homeowner, Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land, and the Home for the payment of
the debt secured thereby or any part thereof. (It is the intention of the parties hereto that CLT’s
consent to such the Permitted Mortgage shall be without any liability on the part of CLT for any
deficiency judgment.)
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7. In the event any part of the Security is taken in condemnation or by right of eminent domain, the
proceeds of the award shall be paid over to the Permitted Mortgagee in accordance with the
provisions of ARTICLE 9 hereof.
8. CLT shall not be obligated to execute an assignment of the Lease Fee or other rent payable by
Homeowner under the terms of this Lease.
B. RIGHTS OF PERMITTED MORTGAGEE. The rights of a Permitted Mortgagee as referenced under
Section 8.6 of the Lease to which this Exhibit is attached shall be as set forth below.
1. Any Permitted Mortgagee shall, without further consent by CLT, have the right to (a) cure any
default under this Lease, and perform any obligation required under this Lease, such cure or
performance being effective as if it had been performed by Homeowner; (b) acquire and convey,
assign, transfer and exercise any right, remedy or privilege granted to Homeowner by this Lease or
otherwise by law, subject to the provisions, if any, in the Permitted Mortgage, which may limit any
exercise of any such right, remedy or privilege; and (c) rely upon and enforce any provisions of the
Lease to the extent that such provisions are for the benefit of a Permitted Mortgagee.
2. A Permitted Mortgagee shall not be required, as a condition to the exercise of its rights under the
Lease, to assume personal liability for the payment and performance of the obligations of the
Homeowner under the Lease. Any such payment or performance or other act by Permitted
Mortgagee under the Lease shall not be construed as an agreement by Permitted Mortgagee to
assume such personal liability except to the extent Permitted Mortgagee actually takes possession of
the Home and Leased Land. In the event Permitted Mortgagee does take possession of the Home
and Leased Land and thereupon transfers such property, any such transferee shall be required to
enter into a written agreement assuming such personal liability and upon any such assumption the
Permitted Mortgagee shall automatically be released from personal liability under the Lease.
3. In the event that title to the estates of both CLT and Homeowner are acquired at any time by the
same person or persons, no merger of these estates shall occur without the prior written declaration
of merger by Permitted Mortgagee, so long as Permitted Mortgagee owns any interest in the
Security or in a Permitted Mortgage.
4. If the Lease is terminated for any reason, or in the event of the rejection or disaffirmance of the
Lease pursuant to bankruptcy law or other law affecting creditors’ rights, CLT shall enter into a new
lease for the Leased Land with the Permitted Mortgagee (or with any party designated by the
Permitted Mortgagee, subject to CLT’s approval, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld),
not more than thirty (30) days after the request of the Permitted Mortgagee. Such lease shall be for
the remainder of the term of the Lease, effective as of the date of such termination, rejection or
disaffirmance, and upon all the terms and provisions contained in the Lease. However, the Permitted
Mortgagee shall make a written request to CLT for such new lease within sixty (60) days after the
effective date of such termination, rejection or disaffirmance, as the case may be. Such written
request shall be accompanied by a copy of such new lease, duly executed and acknowledged by the
Permitted Mortgagee or the party designated by the Permitted Mortgagee to be the Homeowner
thereunder. Any new lease made pursuant to this Section shall have the same priority with respect
to other interests in the Land as the Lease. The provisions of this Section shall survive the
termination, rejection or disaffirmance of the Lease and shall continue in full effect thereafter to the
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same extent as if this Section were independent and an independent contract made by CLT,
Homeowner and the Permitted Mortgagee.
5. The CLT shall have no right to terminate the Lease during such time as the Permitted Mortgagee
has commenced foreclosure in accordance with the provisions of the Lease and is diligently pursuing
the same.
6. In the event that CLT sends a notice of default under the Lease to Homeowner, CLT shall also send
a notice of Homeowner’s default to Permitted Mortgagee. Such notice shall be given in the manner
set forth in Section 14.2 of the Lease to the Permitted Mortgagee at the address which has been
given by the Permitted Mortgagee to CLT by a written notice to CLT sent in the manner set forth in
said Section 14.2 of the Lease.
7. In the event of foreclosure sale by a Permitted Mortgagee or the delivery of a deed to a Permitted
Mortgagee in lieu of foreclosure in accordance with the provisions of the Lease, at the election of the
Permitted Mortgagee the provisions of Article 10, Sections 10.1 through 10.11 shall be deleted and
thereupon shall be of no further force or effect as to only so much of the Security so foreclosed upon
or transferred.
8. Before becoming effective, any amendments to this Lease must be approved in writing by
Permitted Mortgagee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. If Permitted Mortgagee
has neither approved nor rejected a proposed amendment within 60 days of its submission to
Permitted Mortgagee, then the proposed amendment shall be deemed to be approved.
C. STANDARD PERMITTED MORTGAGE AGREEMENT. A Standard Permitted Mortgage Agreement,
as identified in Section 8.4 of this Lease, shall be written as follows, and shall be signed by Mortgagee
and Homeowner.
This Agreement is made by and among:
___________________________________ (Mortgagee) and
___________________________________ (“Homeowner”),
Whereas:
a) Hometown CLT (the “CLT”) and Homeowner have entered, or are entering, into a ground lease
(“the Lease”), conveying to Homeowner a leasehold interest in the Land located at
_____________________ (“the Leased Land”); and Homeowner has purchased, or is purchasing,
the Home located on the Leased Land (“the Home”).
b) The Mortgagee has been asked to provide certain financing to the Homeowner, and is being
granted concurrently herewith a mortgage and security interest (the “Mortgage”) in the Leased
Land and Home, all as more particularly set forth in the Mortgage, attached hereto as Schedule
A.
c) The Ground Lease states that the Homeowner may mortgage the Leased Land only with the
written consent of CLT. The Ground Lease further provides that CLT is required to give such
consent only if the Mortgagee signs this Standard Permitted Mortgage Agreement and thereby
agrees to certain conditions that are stipulated herein (“the Stipulated Conditions”).
Now, therefore, the Homeowner/Mortgagor and the Mortgagee hereby agree that the terms and
conditions of the Mortgage shall include the Stipulated Conditions stated below.
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Stipulated Conditions:
1) If Mortgagee sends a notice of default to the Homeowner because the Homeowner has
failed to comply with the terms of the Mortgage, the Mortgagee shall, at the same time, send a
copy of that notice to the CLT. Upon receiving a copy of the notice of default and within that
period of time in which the Homeowner has a right to cure such default (the “cure period”), the
CLT shall have the right to cure the default on the Homeowner’s behalf, provided that all current
payments due the Permitted Mortgagee since the notice of default was given are made to the
Mortgagee.
2) If, after such cure period, the Mortgagee intends to accelerate the note secured by the
Mortgage or initiate foreclosure proceedings under the Mortgage, in accordance with the
provisions of the Lease, the Mortgagee shall first notify CLT of its intention to do so and CLT shall
have the right, but not the obligation, upon notifying the Mortgagee within thirty (30) days of
receipt of said notice, to purchase the Mortgagee loans and to take assignment of the Mortgage.
3) If the Mortgagee acquires title to the Home and Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land
through foreclosure or acceptance of a deed in lieu of foreclosure, the Mortgagee shall give the
CLT written notice of such acquisition and the CLT shall have an option to purchase the Home and
Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land from the Mortgagee for the full amount owing to the
Mortgagee; provided, however, that the CLT notifies the Mortgagee in writing of the CLT’s intent
to make such purchase within thirty (30) days following the CLT’s receipt of the Mortgagee’s
notice of such acquisition of the Home and Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land; further
provided that CLT shall complete such purchase within sixty (60) days of having given written
notice of its intent to purchase; and provided that, if the CLT does not complete the purchase
within such period, the Mortgagee shall be free to sell the Home and Homeowner’s interest in the
Leased Land to another person;
4) Nothing in the Mortgage or related documents shall be construed as giving the
Mortgagee a claim on CLT’s interest in the Leased Land, or as assigning any form of liability to the
CLT with regard to the Leased Land, the Home, or the Mortgage.
5) Nothing in the Mortgage shall be construed as rendering CLT or any subsequent holder of
the CLT’s interest in and to the Lease, or their respective heirs, executors, successors or assigns,
personally liable for the payment of the debt evidenced by such note and such Mortgage or any
part thereof.
6) The Mortgagee shall not look to CLT or CLT’s interest in the Leased Land, but will look
solely to Homeowner and Homeowner’s interest in the Leased Land and the Home for the
payment of the debt secured by the Mortgage. (It is the intention of the parties hereto that CLT’s
consent to the Mortgage shall be without any liability on the part of CLT for any deficiency
judgment.)
7) In the event that any part of the Leased Land is taken in condemnation or by right of
eminent domain, the proceeds of the award shall be paid over to the Mortgagee in accordance
with the provisions of Article 9 of the Lease.
8) Nothing in the Mortgage shall obligate CLT to execute an assignment of the Lease Fee or
other rent payable by Homeowner under the terms of this Lease.
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By:
_____________________________ for Mortgagee Date: ____________
_____________________________ for Homeowner/Mortgagor Date: ____________
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Exhibit FIRST REFUSAL
Whenever any party under the Lease shall have a right of first refusal as to certain property, the
following procedures shall apply. If the owner of the property offering it for sale (“Offering Party”)
shall within the term of the Lease receive a bona fide third party offer to purchase the property
which such Offering Party is willing to accept, the holder of the right of first refusal (the “Holder”)
shall have the following rights:
a) Offering Party shall give written notice of such offer (“the Notice of Offer”) to Holder setting forth
(a) the name and address of the prospective purchaser of the property, (b) the purchase price
offered by the prospective purchaser and (c) all other terms and conditions of the sale. Holder shall
have a period of forty-five (45) days after the receipt of the Notice of Offer (“the Election Period”)
within which to exercise the right of first refusal by giving notice of intent to purchase the property
(“the Notice of Intent to Purchase”) for the same price and on the same terms and conditions set
forth in the Notice of Offer. Such Notice of Intent to Purchase shall be given in writing to the Offering
Party within the Election Period.
b) If Holder exercises the right to purchase the property, such purchase shall be completed within
sixty (60) days after the Notice of Intent to Purchase is given by Holder (or if the Notice of Offer shall
specify a later date for closing, such date) by performance of the terms and conditions of the Notice
of Offer, including payment of the purchase price provided therein.
c) Should Holder fail to exercise the right of first refusal within the Election Period, then the Offering
Party shall have the right (subject to any other applicable restrictions in the Lease) to go forward with
the sale which the Offering Party desires to accept, and to sell the property within one (1) year
following the expiration of the Election Period on terms and conditions which are not materially
more favorable to the purchaser than those set forth in the Notice. If the sale is not consummated
within such one-year period, the Offering Party's right so to sell shall end, and all of the foregoing
provisions of this section shall be applied again to any future offer, all as aforesaid. If a sale is
consummated within such one-year period, the purchaser shall purchase subject to the Holder
having a renewed right of first refusal in said property.
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Exhibit INITIAL APPRAISAL
Attach copy of initial appraisal, if appropriate.
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Exhibit STANDARD PERMITTED MORTGAGE AGREEMENT
Attach agreement signed by lender and by homeowner, as specified section 8.c of the
‘Permitted Mortgage Agreement’ exhibit above.