US Churches Build Affordable Housing Amid 4 Million Home Shortage
Across the United States, numerous faith-based institutions are actively developing affordable housing projects as the nation confronts a severe shortage exceeding four million homes. This growing movement, often referred to as "Yes in God's Back Yard" or YIGBY, sees churches leveraging their underutilized land to create much-needed residential units.
The Genesis of Faith-Based Housing Initiatives
In Charlotte, North Carolina, the Little Rock AME Zion church exemplifies this trend. For nearly a decade, a parcel of land behind the church remained largely vacant while housing prices escalated and local residents faced displacement from their neighborhoods. In 2018, the congregation proposed developing housing on this site, leading to the approval and eventual completion of Varick on 7th, a complex offering 105 apartment units with half designated as affordable housing.
Reverend Dr. Derrill Blue, a pastor at Little Rock, emphasized the church's longstanding commitment to community needs. "Little Rock has been a staple in this community for years addressing needs, not just affordable housing," he stated. "We knew, because we had a longstanding relationship in this First Ward community, that this could be the next avenue we could take to address a community need."
Addressing a National Housing Crisis
The United States is grappling with a profound housing deficit, with rental costs consistently outpacing inflation in recent years. Experts attribute rising housing expenses and the inaccessibility of homeownership for many households to this critical lack of supply. Churches are uniquely positioned to contribute solutions, as many already possess the necessary land, reducing development costs significantly.
Valerie White, senior executive director of the New York office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), explained, "Affordable housing project financing is very complex and it's extremely expensive. So if you already have the space and you're just building a structure on top of it, it changes the cost dramatically." LISC, one of the country's largest community development organizations, has facilitated support between churches and developers for various YIGBY projects nationwide.
Navigating Challenges and Community Trust
Churches are adapting to changing circumstances, such as ageing congregations and declining membership numbers, by repurposing unused spaces like parking lots or green areas. Evita Chavez, a senior program officer at LISC's Bay Area office, noted that many institutions are exploring new ways to sustain their missions and serve communities differently than in the past.
The established trust between churches and their communities often accelerates housing projects. White highlighted that churches are typically anchors in their neighborhoods, with deep insights into local needs. "They've been the anchor in the community. They are very attuned to the needs of the community, of their congregation," she said.
However, these projects are not exempt from common obstacles, including zoning restrictions, community pushback, high interest rates, and elevated construction costs. For instance, the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn partnered with the Gotham Organization in 2016 to redevelop a 10-acre parking lot, but final rezoning approval was not secured until November 2022. The $1 billion Innovative Urban Village project aims to create a livable, walkable community in East New York while preventing displacement due to rising housing costs.
Legislative Support and Future Prospects
Legislation supporting the YIGBY movement has garnered bipartisan backing in states like Kentucky and at the federal level. Both the House and Senate are reviewing bills that would provide $50 million in grants for YIGBY initiatives and streamline processes for churches to convert empty land into housing. California and Florida have already enacted laws allowing faith-based institutions to bypass local zoning restrictions for affordable, multi-family housing developments.
White remarked on the urgency driving this legislative momentum, stating, "I think the timing of all of this legislation is representative of the crisis that we're in ... to find a new, innovative, aggressive tool to address this growing crisis."
Community interest in completed YIGBY projects remains high. Reverend Blue reported that leaders from nearly three dozen churches recently visited Little Rock and Varick on 7th to learn about initiating similar endeavors. Steven Robinson, deacon of Bethany Baptist Church in New York, noted that the waiting list for one of their senior housing facilities in Harlem exceeds 800 people, reflecting the dire need for such housing.
Robinson shared a poignant reflection from a visitor, who said residents in that complex "probably feel like they are as close to heaven as they're ever going to get." He added, "The one thing about our teaching about Jesus Christ is that he always did more than was expected. And that's what my hope is: that whatever we do, our housing will always be more than they expect."
