ABOUT US
On October 11, 2023, the City of Bakersfield, City Council authorized the establishment and formation of the Bakersfield Community Land Trust (BCLT) to support and steward families by ensuring homes remain affordable in perpetuity.
The BCLT is a 501(c)3 Public Charity organization overseen by a 7-member Board of Directors and Administrated by Self-Help Enterprises.
THE BCLT’S MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Bakersfield Community Land Trust is to create housing opportunities for low- and moderate- income families in Bakersfield. Bakersfield Community Land Trust will support and steward families we serve and ensure the homes remain affordable in perpetuity to benefit future generations.
THE BCLT’S VISION STATEMENT
A future where every member of our community enjoys secure and stable housing, supported by Bakersfield CLT’s unwavering commitment to stewardship and the creation of affordable housing for first time homebuyers that lasts for generations.
GOVERANCE
Bakersfield Community Land Trust City Director
Manpreet Kaur
Born and raised in Ward 7, Manpreet Kaur is proud to call Bakersfield her hometown. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Punjab, India. She was born at Kern Medical Hospital and attended Greenfield and Panama Buena Vista Union School Districts. Manpreet graduated from Ridgeview High School where she was an active community member as the Student Body President, member of Ford Dimension DreamBuilders, and Latina Leaders of Kern County. After high school, Manpreet went on to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and minor in Law and Society from UC San Diego. Manpreet earned two Master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin- Madison: one in Urban and Regional Planning and one in Public Affairs.
In 2016, Manpreet founded the Kern County chapter of Jakara Movement, a youth leadership development organization focused on the health and wellness of the Punjabi Sikh population anchored in California’s Central Valley. The organization educates Sikh youth about their heritage, explores challenges facing them like gender equality, and prepares them to be leaders in their communities. Today the organization has 70 registered high school clubs and 25 college chapters spanning 15 California counties.
Bakersfield Community Land Trust City Director
Bob Smith
Bob is married to his wonderful wife, Pamela. Bob and his wife have called Bakersfield home for 35 years. Together, they have four grown children. They attend Riverlakes Community Church.
As a Councilmember, Bob is dedicated to improving street safety for all residents of Bakersfield. He is particularly passionate about working to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities on our roadways. To this end, Bob pushed through passage of the Bicycle Transportation Plan and the Complete Streets Resolution. Bob continues this work to create a safer and more efficient road system for all road users.
Bakersfield Community Land Trust City Director - Chairperson
Andrae Gonzales
Councilman Andrae Gonzales was elected to represent Bakersfield Ward 2 in November 2016. Known as the "Downtown ward," Ward 2 is the most urban, diverse ward in the City of Bakersfield, extending as far as Ming Avenue to the south and Bernard Street at its northern border; and from Mohawk Street to the west and Sterling Road on the east. Born and raised in East Bakersfield, Councilman Gonzales' life has been shaped by a deep commitment to public service and care for others - especially the most vulnerable. He is a proud graduate of East Bakersfield High School and UC Berkeley. In 2023 he was elected by his City Council colleagues to serve as the City's Vice Mayor, the first Latino to serve in that capacity in Bakersfield's history.
Before his election to the Bakersfield City Council, Councilman Gonzales served as a trustee on the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education (December 2010 to December 2016), the largest elementary school district in the State of California, with more than 30,000 students.
Bakersfield Community Land Trust At Large Director
Vince Zaragoza
Vince Zaragoza is an independent planning consultant with over 30 years of experience in community and economic development, urban and environmental planning, and GIS/Geography.
He firmly believes in civic engagement and using technology to enable planners and policymakers to improve the welfare of people and their communities by producing affordable housing, preserving open spaces, discouraging urban sprawl, and shaping urban areas and rural neighborhoods into healthier, more efficient, and manageable spaces.