The Southeast Tabernacle Baptist Church in Washington D.C.’s Ward 8 is embarking on a transformative project known as First Street Village. Led by Pastor Donald Isaac and supported by the East of the River Clergy Community Partnership (ERCPCP), this initiative aims to address the housing crisis by redeveloping the church’s property into a new worship facility alongside approximately 80 units of rental housing and community spaces.

Supporting initiatives like this is Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing affordable housing, advancing racial equity, and promoting upward mobility. Recently, they announced $8.5 million in grants from the Wells Fargo Foundation to help churches and other faith-based groups across the U.S. convert underutilized land into affordable homes and community facilities. Since its inception, Enterprise’s Faith-Based Development Initiative has facilitated the creation or preservation of over 1,500 affordable homes and vital community resources.

https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/places-of-worship-tackle-the-affordable-housing-shortage