I joined T.R.U.S.T. South LA just over 3 years ago as a part-time urban planning graduate student to work on our statewide and local environmental justice projects. I quickly made a strong commitment to realizing the Community Land Trust’s (CLT) vision of de-commodifying land and homes by removing them from the speculative market and strengthening T.R.U.S.T.’s Black and Brown member leadership to collectively steward their community assets. I am humbled and excited to continue growing as a leader in this movement as T.R.U.S.T.’s newest Associate Director of Community Development and to continue serving our very committed grassroots Board of Directors, our team, and the South LA community.   

I’m also thrilled to announce that I was voted in as a Board Member of the CA CLT Network in January! With blessings and full support from T.R.U.S.T.’s Board of Directors, my goals are to engage and learn from tenured CA CLT leaders, track and advocate for statewide CLT resources & policies, and align those resources to our work in South LA. During the CLT member meeting, I also had the opportunity to co-facilitate a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act workshop and made valuable relationships which are serving our urgent advocacy to stabilize our communities in Los Angeles. We’ve organized LA’s CLTs and our members to create a policy that will give residents and Community Land Trusts a first right to purchase their buildings before going on the market. In this time of uncertainties, we need bold actions and we are confident our success will help alleviate the housing instability many of our members perpetually experience which we anticipate will only worsen after the economic fallout post the COVID-19 pandemic.   

You can read my full Bio in our website! Stay informed on our work by signing up to our Newsletter and following us on Social Media.

Sincerely,

Oscar Monge