Eight churches will move forward with plans to develop housing, from emergency shelter to single-family homes, on their properties.
Chattanooga, Tennessee officials selected the first eight churches that will be allowed to build on or lease their land for housing under the city's new Faith-Based Development Initiative, which will provide training, technical assistance and predevelopment grants to institutions interested in contributing to the housing supply.
According to a report from WTVC, the program, managed by the city and Enterprise Community Partners, "The program aims to use underused land owned by houses of worship to address the housing shortage."
The plan could help create up to 400 new affordable housing units on some of the 25 acres owned by the group of institutions. "Participants will now go through training, planning and site studies to see what can be built on their land."
FULL STORY: Chattanooga picks 8 churches for housing effort that could create up to 400 homes
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Journal of the American Planning Association