Worcester Common Ground

Worcester Common Ground, Inc. - History

"The earth is common ground and...the idea is taking form that the land must be held for safekeeping, that one generation is…responsible for the next…" --E.B. White

Worcester Common Ground, Inc. was originally founded in 1988 as the Community Land Trust of Worcester by a group of people concerned about absentee ownership of land and property, the high cost of housing, the displacement of families from their homes into shelters, and the fading dream of homeownership and economic opportunity.

In response to the requests of neighborhood organizations, WCG expanded its role in the neighborhood by becoming a Community Development Corporation in 1989. The organization now serves as a community development corporation for Worcester neighborhoods struggling to cope with significant economic and social disadvantages.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), Massachusetts is the fourth least affordable state in the nation, behind only Hawaii, California and New York. NLIHC reports that the weakening housing market is especially affecting minorities, first-time home buyers and low-income families.

The neighborhoods served by Worcester Common Ground are some of the most distressed and disadvantaged areas in the city of Worcester. The neighborhood qualifies as an Environmental Justice area as a result of income, minority population, and English fluency. The area also suffers from violence and other criminal activities that negatively impact the quality of life here.

The area where WCG is located has been assigned a Community Disadvantage Index of 10 according to the Socioeconomic Mapping and Resources Topography. Our agency and targeted services are located in SMART tract 731500 where 40% of the neighborhood is Hispanic. Forty-three percent of the children ages 5-17 are living in poverty with 55% living in single parent households. The per capita income for this tract is $11,570 and 5% of the population is unemployed. Forty-one percent of the 18-24 year olds have no high school diploma.

The residents living in our rental apartments represent a cross-section of the community served. The average family size is 3.3 with a household income of $24,991. The residents are of the following cultural/ethnic background: Hispanic - 54%; African-American - 33%; Caucasian - 7%, Indian - 3% and Asian - 2%.

We continue to actively respond to identify critical housing needs and shortfalls through multiple strategies including the development and rehabilitation of abandoned housing and the acquisition of parcels of vacant land for new construction, some of which need environmental remediation prior to building. These strategies provide area residents with affordable rental units or an opportunity to own their own home, which ultimately leads to community well-being through increased neighborhood investment, pride and stability.