The Community stewardship trust

Own Together.
Govern Together.
Build Together.

Our neighborhoods are more than just property.
They are the homes we tend, the neighbors we love, and the legacy we leave.

Community Problems

The real estate industry puts profits over people

Communities lose control of their own land

Money leaves our
neighborhood

Families get
pushed out

Community Problems Require Community Solutions

The Community Stewardship Trust (CST) turns real estate into shared community assets.

By putting land into community ownership, the CST builds local wealth, prevents displacement, and grows collective power.

A NEW MODEL
for Community Self-Determination

The Community Stewardship Trust (CST) is a new institutional model developed by The Guild for shared ownership of commercial real estate. It combines democratic governance, neighborhood investment, and long-term stewardship within a single legal and financial structure.

Designed for historically disinvested neighborhoods experiencing gentrification, the CST creates a pathway to community wealth building and long-term self-determination.

How it works

Own Together

Organized as a Public Benefit Corporation with the community as its shareholders, the CST enables collective ownership of multiple properties .

Govern Together

Shape the future of local properties through community control by voting, democratic participation, and cooperative resource decisions.

Build Together

Transform vacant and underutilized properties into community-serving assets—housing, cultural spaces, and local businesses that benefit everyone in Atlanta.

Generate Wealth Together

Wealth generated from commercial development is redistributed among community stewards instead of being extracted out of the neighborhood.

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Every dollar stays in the neighborhood. Decisions get made collectively by our communities. This is how we build legacy.

By stewarding land together, we ensure the future of our neighborhoods belongs to the people who give it life.

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