Housing as part of your ministry
The San Francisco Bay Area is in an affordable housing crisis. At present, over 171,000 Californians are experiencing homelessness, and nearly half of Bay Area renters are rent burdened, paying over 30% of their monthly income on housing costs.
In California, there are nearly 50,000 acres of property owned by faith-based institutions that have the potential for development as affordable housing. Building affordable housing on their land allows faith institutions to live their beliefs beyond traditional religious activities, demonstrating a commitment to advancing social justice and extending care to the marginalized.
Constructing affordable housing on faith-owned land represents a tangible expression of stewardship and responsible use of resources – utilizing the land for the good of the greater community. The recent passage of Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), the Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act of 2023, makes it more feasible for faith institutions to embark on such projects.
Let's work together
Episcopal Impact Fund has tailored a program specifically to assist any faith-based institution aiming to tackle the housing crisis in the Bay Area through affordable housing development on their properties. Our ecumenical program builds the capacity of faith-based organizations looking to take the first steps toward development and serve as an extension of your team throughout development – starting with pre-development, feasibility analysis, and establishing relationships with experienced nonprofit housing developers. We offer technical assistance and project management, accompanying faith-based landowners and helping them to discern and make well-informed decisions about the use of their land.
Through partnership with Episcopal Impact Fund in this transformative initiative, congregations can embody their faith in action, leaving a legacy of compassion, social responsibility, and equity in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sources
https://bayareahousingforall.org/
Terner Center for Housing Innovation’s paper “The Housing Potential for Land Owned by Faith-Based Organizations and Colleges” https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/research-and-policy/faith-based-and-college-land-housing
