This organization wants to help churches build more affordable and “just” housing in the region

DC needs more housing but finding space for it can be a challenge. Vacant land is at a premium and with so much of the city under federal or institutional control the pool of developable land shrinks even more.

A group called Just Homes wants to fix that by encouraging and helping Washington’s churches to use their land and resources for the creation of affordable and “just” housing.

From “holy word” to housing action plan

Just Homes launched in 2017 as an offshoot of an initiative started by Pastor Aaron Graham of The District Church which started meeting in Columbia Heights in 2010. In that 2017 sermon Pastor Graham talked about the impetus of the idea and what the Just Homes organization would do to help churches across the city and region be a solution to its affordable housing challenges.

I talked to Just Homes Director Shiri Yadlin about what the organization has been up to and their plans going forward. A big part of the work Just Homes has done so far has been ensuring that the organization is not duplicating work that is already being done or siphoning away limited resources from similar organizations, Yadlin said. Just Homes does not just want to be an organization focused on the existing pool of affordable housing, but work to create more new housing throughout the region.

Just Homes has also been taking time to really learn the housing construction process in the district and letting churches know about their options. That includes an organizational board that includes faith leaders and property developers who share a common interest in helping to increase the amount of affordable housing in the district.

Yadlin emphasized the goal is not for Just Homes to become its own developer. Instead the organization is there to help churches understand in plain language what it takes to help solve the housing crisis. A lot of church leaders and members express a sincere desire to do what they can to help but feel powerless when it comes to actually putting their ideas to work, Yadlin said. Just Homes wants to help empower those leaders and members with the knowledge and resources needed to take on a usually-complex task.

But Just Homes wants to do more than that. In the original sermon that launched Just Homes, Pastor Graham noted some of the things that makes housing “just” and Yadlin emphasized the point saying:

“Is affordability enough?” Yadlin said. “Affordability without [looking at issues like] quality of life, segregation, and opportunity. Affordable housing is just one piece of that. A ‘just city’ means everyone has a home, not just a place to live.”

In a paper she authored Yadlin defines justice housing as “housing that upholds human dignity” noting that decent housing goes beyond the dollar amount paid in rent or a mortgage.

Yadlin also noted the term came from another organization in DC, Jubilee Housing which is an affordable housing provider that bundles in other services that residents might need in addition to cheaper housing. That includes things like childcare and other family services that help resident families.

Churches in DC have lots of space available too. Just Homes did an analysis on existing church-owned properties and the existing zoning and predicted there could be around 15,000 units of affordable housing built on vacant land owned by DC churches alone.

That figure does not even include the possibility of redeveloping existing buildings to include housing. That would be a massive increase in available affordable housing inventory but the challenges of building that are great.

But there are risks as well. Churches are losing space across the district as congregations themselves are not immune to real estate pressures. Sacred Spaces Conservancy, an organization that works with churches to find creative ways to preserve houses of worship in DC, states that the DC lost about 25% of its sacred spaces in a 10 year period between 2008 and 2018. Some wards fared worse, like Ward 6, which lost about 41% of their houses of worship during that time.

Those spaces could have been preserved for more affordable housing while also helping congregations themselves find funds for facility repairs, according to Yadlin.

There are existing examples of this across the region as well. First Baptist Church in Clarendon is a dramatic example that built apartments and a childcare center on top of its existing sanctuary. The Spire is a new community built on land provided by Alexandria’s Church of the Resurrection and received a recent visit from HUD secretary Marcia Fudge. And in DC’s Brightwood neighborhood The Emory Fellowship built affordable housing now known as the Beacon Center.

Next steps for Just Homes

Recent events like last summer’s protests over police brutality and racial injustice helped change the focus of Just Homes, Yadlin said. In addition to educating Pastors and other church leaders about their options they also want to educate Congregations directly so they understand the possibilities not only on church-owned land but throughout their local communities.

Meanwhile, churches have their own decisions about how involved they want to be. Just Homes describes their role as a facilitator whether the church would rather simply sell a portion of their land and use the proceeds for some purpose (repairs of existing facilities are a big concern according to Yadlin) or to enter into an involved partnership with a developer to provide homes and services. Each decision comes with its own set of trade-offs and possibilities so it is important for any church body to consider its options carefully.

While Just Homes is not quite ready to announce any major partnerships yet, Yadlin said their group has had conversations with four churches across the city in wards 4, 6, and 8. Overall Yadlin notes that she has encountered less resistance from congregations than she might have expected. Generally, congregations are interested and motivated to see what they can do but many have trepidations about getting involved in a possibly complicated building project while juggling other responsibilities to the community.

Just Homes asks congregations to think about their current level of involvement with the community and how the church could preempt some of the more typical objections to more housing that might be brought up for any plan that makes it to the public feedback stage. That is especially crucial for churches in areas of the city typically zoned for larger lots and homes.

To that end, Just Homes has tried to work with the city to make things easier. so got involved with the recent comprehensive plan update and the city’s office of religious affairs to find ways to make it easier to allow for faith-based institutions to have flexibility when it comes to using their land to provide affordable housing.

Yadlin was careful to note these changes were not pushed to avoid the community process but to help organizations that may not have dedicated time and money to deal with zoning and other official boards like a for-profit developer.

Just Home’s website notes that developers across the region are eager to work with churches and that by taking time to partner with each other churches can ensure that the wealth they have tied up in their land and facilities can ensure more affordable housing for people across the region who desperately need it.