Under the deal, the trust will sell homes to qualified buyers but retain ownership of the land so that the property will remain affordable whenever the owner chooses to sell the home.

“It’s like a double bonus,” said Eric Leabough, the county’s housing specialist. “They are improving the housing stock in some of our maturing communities. In addition to that, they’re creating affordable options for families and individuals who might otherwise be priced out of the housing market.”

Leabough and Lafayette said the program targets people in the 80% to 120% area median income range who would not otherwise qualify for federal housing assistance programs but could use help buying a home. They said that includes teachers, doctors and public service workers who have never owned a home before.

“Homeownership is one of the few ways to build wealth over time,” Lafayette said. “We believe more and more people should have access to that opportunity. That’s a priority of the land trust.”

The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust began in 2016 and holds similar agreements with Richmond and Chesterfield. Lafayette said it facilitated 11 home sales last year and currently has 30 properties under construction or in development.