Ms. Sara Joy Proppe

Churches hold a substantial amount of land in many cities. Many of these properties are facing times of transition as buildings suffer from deferred maintenance and declines in attendance and finances. In spite of these challenges, these churches coalesce around the shared values of loving your neighbor, supporting the marginalized, and helping the poor. The intersection of these realities suggests there is a ripe opportunity to consider how land and buildings held by churches could be reimagined and repurposed to serve the local community through placemaking and housing development.

While there is a growing movement to partner with churches to develop underutilized land for broader community benefit, translating between mission and real estate is not easy. Churches can be under-resourced and unfamiliar with how development works, and developers and advocates often have difficulty navigating the culture and decision-making processes of faith communities. This session will provide suggestions on how churches, housing advocates, and developers can work together, discussing common challenges and sharing case studies at various scales.