This study addresses the issue of housing gentrification in United States cities by analyzing urban Community Land Trusts (CLTs), through a lens of radical geography. A CLT in an urban environment is typically the most common model of community-controlled housing which removes buildings from the speculative market to protect housing security and permanent affordability. Under the popular theory of neoliberal urbanism, urban spaces have been shaped against public interest as a result of systemic socioeconomic segregation and capitalist prerogatives. Instead of these spaces providing for their local community, they serve the financial goals of private corporations and capital accumulation contributing to worsened economic sustainability and class relations. The aim of this study is to uncover if urban CLTs contribute to affordable housing and a sustainable economy to create more livable conditions for residents, and if so, can they be scaled up to expand accessibility elsewhere. A qualitative research design utilizing interviews and document analysis is used to test if there is a positive correlation between CLTs and livability and to measure scalability. The study examines three CLTs from New York City’s most populated boroughs– Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. For each CLT I reviewed histories, financial documents and economic data for the surrounding neighborhood. In March 2026 I conducted site visits for each CLT that included interviews, neighborhood observation for livability, and photo-elicitation. Through this research design, I will assess the impact of CLTs to slow housing costs and prevent displacement of residents through gentrification. The thesis concludes with policy implications to support affordable housing initiatives for public good, fighting the gentrification that serves the private sphere.