Advocates and elected officials say they believe they have a secret weapon: Small-time Latino two- and three-flat owners who can be persuaded to hold on to their properties and keep them affordable for working-class families, rather than cashing in on the real estate boom or being priced out of their own neighborhood.
A coalition of advocates is even asking some of these “mom and pop” landlords fearful of losing their property to skyrocketing taxes to sell their property to a community land trust, preserving affordable housing for working-class residents.