Community ownership is a long-term solution that allows community members and stakeholders to control commercial assets, land, and enterprises. It provides stability for small businesses and helps avoid commercial gentrification pressures, including rapid rent increases. Community ownership can be a catalyst for asset- and wealth-building in low-wealth communities, helping to ensure community control and self-determination.

Community ownership models support both individual and collective ownership. Collective ownership means that community members or groups collectively own space and manage resources and assets connected to that space. Community control can also be achieved through individual ownership, such as when individual business owners who live in or have a stake in a neighborhood purchase commercial space.

Local governments, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), or communitybased organizations can initiate or manage individual ownership of commercial space. These organizations may also provide grants or low/no-interest loans to individual entrepreneurs to help them purchase commercial property through tools like commercial property acquisition fund programs.