Putting Faith in Housing: A Primer for All Partners
BY RICHARD F. BURNS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, THE NHP FOUNDATION
Many areas in the U.S. currently face an affordable housing crisis. Due to recent legislative changes, a quarter million fewer affordable housing units will be built over the coming decade, exacerbating the housing shortage.
RICHARD F. BURNS
As American cities look to house greater numbers of low to middle income individuals, there is one resource that has been overlooked. A successful collaboration between a faith-based organization and private developer, either for profit or not- for-profit, should yield a new complex that is a credit to the community and give the faith-based organization long-term financial benefit. Churches and other faith-based houses of worship are some of the nation’s largest landowners. Those that have adjacent land or other buildable assets, some of which were built as far back as the Civil War (and earlier) are particularly well-suited to create housing for their communities.
Faith-based property development is an exciting option for America’s cities. Yet there are questions and concerns to address so that the resulting equation works for all parties.
Putting Faith in Housing: A Primer for All Partners
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