The Lower Valley Community Land Trust aims to address the need for affordable housing, increased local food production, community wealth-building, and mutual aid through shared equity projects to address historical harms and disenfranchisement noted throughout Springfield and Holyoke.  Our mission is to build shared social, political, and economic power through community control and development of land and property, including revitalizing vacant and abandoned property for affordable housing, worker-owned cooperatives and other small businesses, community production, regenerative agriculture, and spaces for learning, cultural events, and assemblies.  In doing so, we are promoting an alternative way of organizing how property and other resources are owned and financed across Hampden County, where tremendous gaps in wealth and privilege exist. We believe in the ability, creativity, and energy of local residents to forge solutions that address their needs. Furthermore, the community land trust model has proven to be a long-term, sustainable way to achieve these aims.We are finalizing our by-laws, have an EIN, and plan to incorporate by the end of 2026. We have formed an initial board in anticipation of incorporation. This board is made up of community members and representatives from these community-based organizations and nonprofits: Equity Trust, Nuestras Raices, Springfield No One Leaves, Way Finders, and Wellspring Cooperative.