Latest affordable housing in DC will sit on land owned by churches

Calvary Episcopal Church is among the 17 houses of worship in D.C. participating in a new affordable housing initiative.(Courtesy Calvary Episcopal Church)

Affordable housing in D.C. is difficult to find, and community groups are looking for unique ways to generate more of it.

The latest initiative involves turning underused land, owned by churches, into affordable housing units.

“It really helps us to try to meet a critical need for housing that’s affordable to low and moderate income residents in this city,” said David Bowers, one of the leaders of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit that works on faith-based development projects around the country.

Bowers announced Tuesday that 17 churches in D.C. were working toward the goal of creating new affordable housing.

As part of the effort, which involves the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, the churches received more than $1 million in grant money and completed real estate training.

The money helped the churches conduct market studies, develop project plans and connect with development partners.

“What’s unique here is that we have an opportunity with houses of worship, which often are in control of so much land, and we know how scarce land is and how expensive land can be,” Bowers said.

Maintaining underused spaces can be financially burdensome for churches, diverting resources away from core missions or community outreach efforts.

Converting such properties into affordable housing can provide a way to generate revenue through rental income or property sales, helping with financial sustainability while fulfilling social responsibility goals at the same time.

According to figures cited by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration, faith-based institutions own approximately 450 vacant parcels in the District and could assist with producing 6,000 to 29,000 new homes.

The initiative involving the 17 D.C. churches is expected to generate 1,109 new affordable homes across D.C., according to Bowers.

“This is so important because it provides a combination of information, technical assistance and some catalytic grant dollars that help these folks make an informed decision,” Bowers said.

The churches participating include: