Partner Implementation Framework

Partner Implementation Frameworks

Lifecycle Design Framework

This framework illustrates how ownership, governance, capital, and stewardship decisions are sequenced across a project’s lifecycle.

It is intended to support planning and diligence for partners. It is not prescriptive—structures, timing, and roles vary by project, jurisdiction, and participants.

Project Phase	Primary Decision Focus	Key Design Questions	Primary Actors Involved	Notes / Variability
Development	Ownership & land control	Who holds land and improvements? What long-term affordability mechanism is appropriate?	Developer, CLT, community representatives, public agency	Early land decisions shape all downstream governance and financing options.
Pre-Development	Governance & capital alignment	How is resident governance structured and phased in? Do financing terms support permanent affordability?	Developer, funders, CLT, legal counsel	Governance may be provisional during construction and formalized at transition.
Transition	Developer exit & ownership transfer	When and how does control transfer to residents? What protections preserve affordability and governance?	Developer, CLT, residents, lenders	Exit timing varies; clarity prevents disputes and erosion of affordability.
Stewardship	Long-term oversight & accountability	Who enforces resale restrictions? How is governance supported over time?	CLT, residents, cooperative or association boards	Stewardship structures must remain legible as leadership and residents change.

While the design questions above apply across all Pathway to Equity models, how they are resolved varies by legal structure, financing, and ownership path.

Project Phase	Primary Decision Focus	Key Design Questions	Primary Actors Involved	Notes / Variability
Development	Ownership & land control	Who holds land and improvements? What long-term affordability mechanism is appropriate?	Developer, CLT, community representatives, public agency	Early land decisions shape all downstream governance and financing options.
Pre-Development	Governance & capital alignment	How is resident governance structured and phased in? Do financing terms support permanent affordability?	Developer, funders, CLT, legal counsel	Governance may be provisional during construction and formalized at transition.
Transition	Developer exit & ownership transfer	When and how does control transfer to residents? What protections preserve affordability and governance?	Developer, CLT, residents, lenders	Exit timing varies; clarity prevents disputes and erosion of affordability.
Stewardship	Long-term oversight & accountability	Who enforces resale restrictions? How is governance supported over time?	CLT, residents, cooperative or association boards	Stewardship structures must remain legible as leadership and residents change.

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While the design questions above apply across all Pathway to Equity models, how they are resolved varies by legal structure, financing, and ownership path.

Project Phase	New Construction CLT + Co’op	Adaptive Re-use CLT + Co’op	Direct Ownership CLT + condo / home / farm	Key Implication
Development	Integrated land control and construction financing; cooperative ownership and governance are designed upfront, prior to occupancy.	Acquisition and rehabilitation occur alongside tenant stabilization and phased conversion to cooperative ownership.	Acquisition and rehabilitation occur alongside tenant stabilization and phased conversion to cooperative ownership.	Upfront coordination and development risk increase where collective ownership and governance precede occupancy.
Transition	Developer exit is tied to cooperative governance readiness and resident capacity milestones.	Transition unfolds as existing tenants receive governance training and progressively assume cooperative responsibilities.	Transition occurs at individual unit sale, with limited collective governance beyond CLT stewardship and owners’ association participation (where applicable).	Collective ownership paths require deliberate transition pacing to avoid premature governance failure.
Stewardship	Long-term stewardship depends on cooperative governance health and sustained CLT oversight.	Stewardship includes managing aging assets alongside cooperative governance and resale controls.	Stewardship centers on resale enforcement and ground-lease compliance rather than collective governance.	Stewardship structures must remain legible and enforceable as residents and leadership change.

Project Phase

New Construction
CLT + Co’op

Adaptive Re-use
CLT + Co’op

Direct Ownership
CLT + condo / home / farm

Key Implication

Development

Integrated land control and construction financing; cooperative ownership and governance are designed upfront, prior to occupancy.

Acquisition and rehabilitation occur alongside tenant stabilization and phased conversion to cooperative ownership.

Upfront coordination and development risk increase where collective ownership and governance precede occupancy.

Transition

Developer exit is tied to cooperative governance readiness and resident capacity milestones.

Transition unfolds as existing tenants receive governance training and progressively assume cooperative responsibilities.

Transition occurs at individual unit sale, with limited collective governance beyond CLT stewardship and owners’ association participation (where applicable).

Collective ownership paths require deliberate transition pacing to avoid premature governance failure.

Stewardship

Long-term stewardship depends on cooperative governance health and sustained CLT oversight.

Stewardship includes managing aging assets alongside cooperative governance and resale controls.

Stewardship centers on resale enforcement and ground-lease compliance rather than collective governance.

Stewardship structures must remain legible and enforceable as residents and leadership change.

Project Phase

Primary Decision Focus

Key Design Questions

Primary Actors Involved

Notes / Variability

Development

Ownership & land control

Who holds land and improvements?
What long-term affordability mechanism
is appropriate?

Developer, CLT, community representatives,
public agency

Early land decisions shape all downstream
governance and financing options.

Pre-Development

Governance & capital alignment

How is resident governance structured
and phased in? Do financing terms support
permanent affordability?

Developer, funders, CLT, legal counsel

Governance may be provisional during
construction and formalized at transition.

Transition

Developer exit & ownership transfer

When and how does control transfer to residents?
What protections preserve affordability
and governance?

Developer, CLT, residents, lenders

Exit timing varies; clarity prevents disputes and
erosion of affordability.

Stewardship

Long-term oversight & accountability

Who enforces resale restrictions?
How is governance supported over time?

CLT, residents, cooperative or association boards

Stewardship structures must remain legible as
leadership and residents change.

Partner Implementation Frameworks

Lifecycle Design Framework

Path-Specific Context & Implications Framework