Build With Us
Build what lasts. Build it with the community.
The Cultural Land Trust of Texas partners with developers who want to turn heritage sites into permanently affordable homes and workspaces for cultural workers and their families.
How we work with developers
The Trust doesn’t build. We hold the land, or long-term rights to it, keep each site affordable, and lead the fundraising. Developers handle design, permitting, financing coordination, and construction.
Hearth + Ground, our wholly owned development subsidiary, is one development partner. It is not the only one.
What we bring
Heritage sites. A pipeline across Central Texas, from historic schools and warehouses to family homes.
Land control that lasts. Depending on the site, the Trust owns the land, leases it from the owner, or holds an option or deed restriction while the owner keeps title. Either way, we protect affordability and cultural use for the long term.
Community groundwork. We begin every project by engaging the community and identifying the local programming and stewardship partners who will activate and govern each space.
Fundraising. We lead the search for grants, historic tax credits, CDFI financing, and donations toward acquisition, predevelopment, and capital costs.
What we ask of our partners
Follow the Trust’s regulations on every project.
Honor affordability restrictions, ground-lease terms, and stewardship agreements for the life of the project.
Let community needs shape what gets built.
Put it in writing. Agreements are arm’s-length, with market-rate fees benchmarked against comparable deals and approved by the Trust’s board.
How a partnership works
Match the site. Every site has its own ownership structure, and the agreement follows it.
Agree the terms. A development agreement sets the scope and a defined, board-approved fee.
Bring your capital. Where a developer brings financing, equity, or investors, we structure the deal so the Trust keeps control over decisions tied to its mission.
Build and hand over. Partner-led programming begins during construction, and community stewardship partners take on long-term governance. The Trust stays involved for the life of the lease. Asset and property management can be handled by the developer or a separate firm.
Interested in building with us? Get in touch.
