To stem the housing crisis, religious congregations are building homes

By EDEN STIFFMAN of The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Chronicle of Philanthropy

The crowd that prayed together at Arlington Presbyterian Church’s Sunday worship service had dwindled from more than 100 to a few dozen. Neighbors’ stories guided the church’s radical transformation. People were struggling to afford to live there. After some contentious discussions, the church reached a decision to use the greatest asset it had: real estate. In 2016, the church sold its land and historic stone building to the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, a nonprofit developer, for $8.5 million. The church was razed. In its place now stands Gilliam Place, a six-story complex with 173 apartments.