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Learn how this Black-led land trust is creating homeownership and economic opportunities in Saint Paul.

“It's been a privilege for me to be able to provide homeownership and economic development opportunities across Ramsey and Dakota County,” said Mikeya Griffin, executive director of Rondo Community Land Trust. “To be able to do this work as a Black woman in a historically Black community, revitalizing it and bringing a framework that is reparative, celebrating the culture and history of the community has been nothing less than amazing.”

Since 1993, Rondo Community Land Trust (Rondo CLT) has been committed to providing affordable housing and preserving the affordability of commercial space in Saint Paul and surrounding areas. Through the community land trust model, Rondo CLT creates equitable ownership opportunities, ensuring that communities have stewardship over their assets and land.

“The community land trust model is an innovative approach to the housing crisis that we find ourselves in today,” Mikeya said. “Our ability to take a one-time investment and make that permanently affordable for generations, for community to be able to recycle those dollars is highly important as a developer and as a grants and loans provider to families who deserve it.”

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Bringing Vitality Back to Selby Avenue

“Our mission is to provide sustainable and permanently affordable opportunities that celebrate our cultural heritage and create community wealth through economic development and empowerment,” said Mikeya.

Under her leadership, Rondo CLT has facilitated 109 homeownership opportunities.

This achievement includes acquiring properties and renting them to families at affordable rates, with the long-term goal of enabling these families to become homeowners. With support from the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and our fundholders, Rondo CLT purchased six duplexes on Selby Avenue, housing 15 families. The Foundation also helped the organization to acquire their headquarters.

“This is an exciting project that we worked on with Rondo Community Land Trust," said Director of Community and Impact Investing Carrie Jo Short. “We’re leveraging all the resources we have as a Foundation and as a platform to invite our donors in to be a part of our community investment efforts and statewide work.”

The Foundation’s investment portfolio has a long history of providing below-market investment loans to affordable housing efforts in the East Metro. Fundholders were able to allocate a portion of their donor advised fund to a concessionary loan and invest those dollars in housing organizations such as Rondo CLT, leveraging them to be recycled for future investments.

One action-taker was Mary, an active 80-year-old volunteer.

“I've tried to help as much as I can in my life, but this was one of the most concrete things I've ever been able to,” Mary said. “I give away scholarships, and those make me feel happy, but this is right up there making me feel more joyful.”

Rondo CLT is also a commercial land trust. Since 2019, they have provided deeply affordable commercial leases to both local entrepreneurs and nonprofits as well as purchased and rehabilitated properties such as Golden Thyme Restaurant and Rondo Exchange - home to Golden Thyme Café and a soon-to-open Small Business Accelerator.

“ We’re leveraging all the resources we have as a Foundation and as a platform to invite our donors in to be a part of our community investment efforts and statewide work.”

Carrie Jo Short, Director of Community and Impact Investing

Inspired to Make a Difference?

Support: Support causes that interest you, such as affordable housing.
Get Involved: Volunteer at one of your local housing nonprofits and learn how you can support their work and mission.
Share: Share stories about the great work organizations like Rondo Community Land Trust are doing to create stability and vitality in their communities.

The Foundation’s Impact in Action

Investment in Rondo CLT is one of many ways the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation supports affordable housing initiatives.

See Our Housing Impact

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