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Some churches are turning their empty lots into affordable housing
Lawmakers in nine states are rewriting land rules as churches use vacant property for projects that can add hundreds of affordable homes.
- Lawmakers are increasingly embracing the YIGBY movement, allowing religious institutions to convert unused land into affordable housing; nine states have passed or considered related legislation in recent years, according to the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy.
- The United States faces its most unaffordable housing market in a generation, while some religious institutions seek new revenue sources as declining membership reduces income, prompting leaders to eye unused parking lots and aging buildings.
- In Houston, Rev. Marilyn White spent 11 years developing an empty lot into 90 units of senior housing for residents 55 and older; the project broke ground in July and is expected to open next year.
- Financial and regulatory hurdles persist; Trinity East still owes about $2.5 million of a $3.5 million loan, while state officials in Austin, Texas previously stalled a separate $30 million project citing the area's crime rate.
- Presbyterian minister Mark Elsdon suggests sufficient unused religious land exists to address the housing shortage, though development remains limited by significant hurdles to building affordable housing.
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The grass-covered terrain located in front of Trinity East United Methodist church was mostly empty.
Some churches are turning their empty lots into affordable housing
By Samantha Delouya, CNN (CNN) — The grassy plot of land across the street from Trinity East United Methodist Church sat empty most of the time. The land had been occasionally used for outdoor events, food pantries and other gatherings for decades. When the Rev. Marilyn White was appointed pastor more than 11 years ago,
·Idaho Falls, United States
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