Ardencroft was founded in 1950 as an outgrowth of Arden and Ardentown with a conceptual lifestyle based on Henry George’s Single tax movement and William Morris’s Arts and Crafts principles. Ardencroft was the last of seventeen land trusts founded between 1894 and 1950.
Ardencroft lands are comprised of approximately one-half leaseholds, 95 in total, and one-half woods and open space. Footpaths crisscross the village. At its founding in 1950, Ardencroft formally encouraged minorities to settle there, seeking families that wanted to live in an integrated setting.
It is important for current and future residents to understand the differences between the Ardencroft Association and the Village of Ardencroft.
What is the Ardencroft Association?
The Ardencroft Association is a private, nonprofit land-owning corporation governed by three board of directors that pays all the taxes assessed against the lands of the corporation. The Ardencroft Association also provides funding for the Village of Ardencroft’s annual budget through the collection of Land Rents.
The Ardencroft Association is the owner of all the lands within the boundaries of the municipality of Ardencroft, with the exception of the public spaces (parks), trails, and pathways.
What are Leaseholds?
Ardencroft, like its sister communities of Arden and Ardentown, was founded and operates under the Single Tax philosophy of the political economist Henry George. The section below explains the basics of the Single Tax. A full explanation of the ‘Georgist’ philosophy and principles of the Single Tax is beyond the scope of this website, there are many sources on the web available for you to explore to learn more.
The Ardencroft Association is in a real sense the ‘landlord’ of Ardencroft, its primary role is to collect land rent to pay for New Castle County taxes, the Brandywine School District taxes, and fund the Village of Ardencroft’s annual budgetary needs.
What is the Single Tax?
Ardencroft, as well as the Villages of Arden and Ardentown, follow the Single Tax philosophy of Henry George. As it applies here, the Single Tax simply means as a leaseholder (every resident has a 99-year renewable lease on their land) you pay a share of the overall cost of operating the Village (comprised of County and School Tax, trash collection, maintenance of public lands, and other operating costs) based solely on the square footage of the leasehold. Each Village in the Ardens has its own unique formula to determine the leaseholder’s share of these costs.
Rather than paying yearly property tax as you would outside of Ardencroft, you are responsible for paying yearly land rent. The amount of land rent you owe is determined solely by the size of the leasehold you occupy. A 15,000 square foot leasehold pays the same land rent regardless of the value of what may, or may not, occupy that leasehold. Simply put, a 15,000 sq. ft. lot pays the same land rent regardless if it’s undeveloped (vacant) or has a home valued at $2,000,000 on it.
What is the Village of Ardencroft and the Town Assembly?
The Village of Ardencroft, one of the 57 incorporated cities, towns, and villages in the State of Delaware, is governed by an elected body with its own Charter and By-laws. New residents are given a Welcome Packet that explains the working of the Town Meeting system of government we abide by, how we chose our elected leaders and committees, and other important information for residents
Resources
Ardencroft Association Articles of Incorporation
Village of Ardencroft Charter
Village of Ardencroft Ordinances (Updated January 2023)