Overview of the Community Stewardship Trust
The CST brings together local residents to co-own and steward properties —like affordable housing, grocery stores. or spaces for small businesses and organizations. Its a real estate model that builds community wealth and supports residents to thrive in place.
To prepare for the first CST opening in fall 2024, we hosted the Solidarity Summer Series—six workshops and training curriculum to fuel the community ownership movement.
Who can invest in the CST?
The goal of the CST is for local residents to own and control properties in their neighborhoods. The Guild’s first CST is focused on Atlanta’s 30310 zip code.
If you’re a resident of 30310, work in 30310, or otherwise have a meaningful connection to the zip code, you’re welcome to invest. We also understand there has already been significant gentrification and displacement of Black families from the area, who we want to invite in even if they are not currently residing here.
WHY INVEST IN THE CST?
• Earn financial returns
• Vote on key decisions with fellow CST investors
• Build community wealth—strengthen the social fabric of our neighborhoods
The Community Stewardship Trust (CST) is a Public Benefit Corporation incubated by us, and owned and governed by community investors (like you). The CST owns commercial and mixed-use properties and transforms those properties into assets to meet the community’s needs.
Surplus income from these properties is distributed in the form of dividends to community investors, and share price is tied to property values. As property values go up, the value of the shares owned by community investors increases too. This ensures wealth stays where it belongs — in the hands of the residents that make these neighborhoods great in the first place.
REQUIREMENTS
Requirements to be a CST Community Investor
- Attend Solidarity Economy Education Workshop 6 – Joining the CST
- Sign up on the CST investor portal and make an investment
Requirements to be a CST Governance Board or Committee Member
- Complete workshops 1-4 and 6 of the Solidarity Economy Education Series
- Sign up on the CST investor portal and make an investment
sign up to invest in the cst
When you sign up to become an investor, you get acess to a secure investment portal to buy shares in the CST, track and receive financial returns, and vote on key decisions affecting the future of these properties. You also get access to ongoing education on cooperative real estate development, personal and community finance, collective governance, and other such topics.
Fill out this form to get on our waitlist. When the investment offering is live in November 2024, we’ll notify you.
