A Movement to Mobilize Faith Leaders for Affordable Housing Solutions
Why this Matters
Frederick County is experiencing a growing need for safe, stable, and affordable housing. Faith communities are uniquely positioned to be part of the solution–through land, partnerships, advocacy, and service.
Read more about why housing is important to People of Faith.
Our Purpose
The Faith & Housing Initiative is designed to:
- Bring together faith leaders and congregations
- Explore housing development and support opportunities
- Build partnerships across sectors
- Equip leaders with the tools to take action
Tell us if you’d like to GET INVOLVED!
Strategic Alignment
FREDERICK COUNTY HOUSING STRATEGY – 1.6 (see p. 84):
“Facilitate opportunities for faith-based communities to develop affordable housing and support housing efforts.”
This initiative directly supports this priority by activating faith-based organizations as key partners in housing solutions.
Everybody’s heard of NIMBY – Not In My Back Yard!
It’s a common reason why people object to affordable housing development.
The Faith & Housing Initiative builds on a competing concept called YIGBY – YES! In God’s Back Yard!
Developed by people of faith who value hope and dignity for all, the YIGBY movement is taking off all over the country. Read more. . .
How Faith Communities Can Get Involved
You do NOT need to own land to participate. Opportunities include:
- Developing housing on church-owned land
- Partnering with developers or housing organizations
- Providing land for joint ventures or ground leases
- Supporting housing through services and outreach
- Advocating for housing solutions in your community
- Hosting programs, education, or resource connections
Introducing the
Faith-Based Housing Cohort
A guided program designed to support houses of worship through:
- Education on housing development pathways
- Site and feasibility exploration
- Access to funding and partnerships
- Technical assistance and coaching
- A step-by-step roadmap from vision to implementation