Questions Neighbors Actually Ask

Who owns the lot right now?

A private out-of-state owner. It is not owned by the City of Portland, the farmers market, or anyone local. The property has been listed at $5 million — roughly double what comparable properties suggest it's worth, which is part of why it has sat unsold.

We are in direct contact with the listing agent, who lives here in Montavilla.

If you buy it, who owns it — Proud Ground?

No. The Montavilla Community Land Trust itself would own the land, permanently, on behalf of the neighborhood. That's the whole point of a community land trust: the land comes off the speculative market for good, and a community-controlled board decides what happens on it.

Where Proud Ground fits: Proud Ground is our fiscal sponsor — an established Portland nonprofit with 20+ years of community land trust homeownership work — which lets us receive grant funds while our own 501(c)(3) status is completed. They handle money administration, not land. Think of them as our nonprofit big sibling, not our landlord.

Governance: MCLT's bylaws are being built on the classic CLT tripartite model — community members, residents and users of the land, and public-interest representatives — and the Montavilla Farmers Market has a committed seat on the board.

What's the timeline?

2026 is the year we build the organization, the money, and the legal path. A purchase is realistically a 2027 event. This is a marathon with real checkpoints, not a sprint to a closing date:

• Submitted (May 2026): a $200,000 planning grant application to the Portland Clean Energy Fund — decision expected this fall.
• This summer: environmental review begins on the site. It's a former auto dealership, so a standard environmental assessment is required before anyone can responsibly buy it — and we've opened that pathway with Oregon DEQ.
• This fall and winter: nonprofit incorporation, more grant applications, and a community fundraising launch around the holidays.
• 2027: if the pieces land, the state environmental agreement that makes a purchase safe gets executed — and acquisition becomes real.

The honest kicker: the lot has sat unsold for months at an unrealistic price. Time is on the community's side — and we're the only buyer doing the regulatory homework any sale will eventually require.

Is this the farmers market's project?

No. MCLT is an independent, neighbor-led organization — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or speaking on behalf of the Montavilla Farmers Market. The market is a valued neighbor with a committed seat on our future board, and permanence for community uses like the market is central to why we're doing this.

How can I help right now?

• Sign the petition — it shows funders and the city that this neighborhood is organized.
• Make a founding pledge — non-binding, public, and every dollar demonstrates community commitment.
• Tell us what you'd want on the site — we write every idea down.
• If you have skills (legal, design, fundraising, organizing) or connections, email info@montavillalandtrust.org — we match volunteers to what they're good at.

Sign the Petition