Research in Progress on Vancouver’s Growing CLT Movement

On October 22nd, the Balanced Supply of Housing will host a presentation with Nat Pace, Network Director of the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts, Djaka Blais, Executive Director of Hogan’s Alley Society, and Andy Bond, Executive Director of the Downtown Eastside Community Land Trust, on Vancouver’s growing CLT movement.

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) have emerged as a promising model for preserving affordable housing and protecting community interests in rapidly changing urban neighbourhoods. In Vancouver’s Strathcona and Downtown Eastside neighbourhoods, Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) and Downtown Eastside Community Land Trust (DTES CLT) are pushing forward on ambitious projects to reclaim land and ensure existing affordable housing remains accessible to the community. This Balanced Supply of Housing webinar will give us an inside look into what’s on the agenda for both of these organizations, as well as a look the wider policy agenda for the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts with Network Director, Nat Pace.

This research is connected to BSH’s Community Land Trusts research.

About the Speakers

Nat Pace is the Network Director of the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts (CNCLT), supporting the movement through technical help, knowledge sharing, and advocacy. Moonlighting in Montréal’s comedy scene, Nat brings the same creativity, timing, and storytelling to CNCLT—making the work accessible, building relationships, and keeping the movement energized.

Djaka Blais is the inaugural executive director of Hogan’s Alley, a Vancouver-based non-profit focused on advancing the social, political, economic, and cultural well-being of people of African descent (Black People) through the delivery of inclusive housing, built spaces, and culturally informed programming.  With over 21 years of experience in philanthropy, government, and grassroots mobilization, her work centers on shifting power, dismantling inequities, and ensuring historically excluded communities don’t just have a seat at the table—but that they shape the table itself. 

Andy Bond is the Executive Director of the DTES CLT, bringing over 20 years of expertise in SRO acquisition, operation, and management. Since 1998, he has worked in the DTES, beginning as a frontline worker with the PHS Community Services Society, where he supported tenants in the first three SRO hotels purchased by BC Housing in the late 1990s. Over the years, his role expanded into senior leadership management, serving as Executive Director and Senior Director of Housing and Operations for more than five years. Andy has been instrumental in the successful transition of several privately owned SRO hotels into the non-profit and government sectors, ensuring their long-term affordability and significantly improving housing conditions for tenants.

Alie Lynch is the Research and Fund Development Lead at the Downtown Eastside Community Land Trust. She has been working for the DTES CLT since its inception in 2022, helping the organization grow from an early concept into a fully established non-profit. Alie is currently completing a Master’s degree in Urban Studies at Simon Fraser University, supported by a SSHRC scholarship.