Why 4 Florida Keys Cottages Make a Difference

The Florida Keys Community Land Trust, a land trust founded on Big Pine Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, became a corporate affiliate of Rural Neighborhoods in recent weeks bringing 4 nationally-recognized cottages to our growing portfolio of 1,796 unit rentals. But it means much more than numbers! This partnership merges FKCLT Founder Maggie Whitcomb’s unprecedented leadership, advocacy and post-storm success to RN’s accomplishments – much of which arose out of the Hurricane Andrew disaster in 1992. Together, our groups hope to spur an affordable housing movement throughout Monroe County. Steven Kirk, President of RN, celebrated the collaboration: “Our approach is finding local partners who truly understand the need in their communities, support their strengths and together, achieve a scale offering greater impact than can be achieved alone. The land trust offers us a proven track record, land banked to build on, and a new tool for our toolbox so we can better achieve affordability.”