Breathing Room
Channel: Thomas Merton Center
Date: 12/05/2016

The basic objective of conservation land trusts, as exemplified by the Allegheny Land Trust, is to preserve green spaces such as parks and conservation areas. Community Land Trusts apply this principle to the goal of sustainable community development, by putting more control over land use directly in the hands of community members. One of the main goals is controlling the affordability of new housing built on open land in a neighborhood. But in a broader sense, community members are empowered to control which land will be developed in which ways. For example, would the community prefer to leave some land open for gardens, parks or other open spaces? Our film tells the story of the Pittsburgh Community Land Trust, a new organization which aims to place these choices in the hands of local community organizations. For the purpose of the film, we focused primarily on two of the Pittsburgh neighborhoods which have representation on the newly formed Board - Lawrenceville and Homewood. Each of these communities has its own unique history and character, yet at the same time share the common goal of affordable rents for both residents and local businesses.  

We produced this short film in conversation with the several members of the Founding Board of the Pittsburgh Community Land Trust (CLT):  Chris Beichner of the Allegheny Land Trust, Ed Nusser of The Lawrenceville Corporation, and Justin Strong, owner of Strong II Cleaners in Homewood. In addition, we interviewed Therae “LaLa”  Compton, employee of Birdy’s Restaurant in Homewood.

This film was created as part of a larger collaboration between graduate students in sustainability at Chatham University and the Thomas Merton Center in Pittsburgh. The collaboration demonstrated the ways in which groups/individuals are pursuing social justice & sustainability in the City of Pittsburgh. The project was advised by Dr. Crystal Fortwangler and Wanda Guthrie of the Thomas Merton Center.