In Brooklyn, New York, a major affordable housing initiative has taken shape on church-owned land, marking a growing trend among religious congregations nationwide to leverage underused property for community development. Last month, officials including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries formally opened 385 affordable apartments on the Christian Cultural Center’s East New York campus. The $270 million project, financed through a combination of state tax credits, housing programs, and private investment from Goldman Sachs, represents the first phase of the Innovative Urban Village development, which will ultimately provide around 2,000 affordable units alongside amenities such as a grocery store, trade school, daycare, and performing arts center.

This development is part of a broader movement known as "Yes in God’s Backyard" (YIGBY), wherein churches with declining attendance or underutilized land collaborate with developers to address housing shortages while supporting their ongoing ministries. Attendance at religious services in the United States has steadily declined in recent years, with only 26% of Americans reporting weekly participation in 2025 compared with 31% in 2013, according to the Public Religion Research Institute’s Census of American Religion. This decline has motivated faith communities to find innovative ways to sustain their missions.

The extent of church-held land available for development is significant but difficult to quantify nationwide. In California alone, the University of California, Berkeley’s Terner Center estimates there are 47,000 acres of potentially developable faith-based property. Similar large quantities have been identified in states such as Maryland, Florida, and Massachusetts. However, progress on these developments can be slow and deal structures vary widely.

In the Bronx, Pastor James Wilson of First Union Baptist Church partnered with nonprofit developer Community Builders to preserve his congregation’s historic building while adding a 13-story tower of affordable senior housing. The original 100-year-old church, situated on the Grand Concourse, had suffered severe structural damage and declining membership. The arrangement allows the church to retain ownership of a new sanctuary on the ground floor while addressing financial and maintenance challenges through the residential project, which is expected to be completed soon.

Another example is in Decatur, Georgia, where First Baptist Church on Gresham Road collaborated with a developer on Solace Grove, a $37 million project that includes 125 affordable apartments for seniors earning at or below 60% of the area’s median income. Michael Scales, a Coast Guard veteran and resident of the development, praised the quality of the housing after previously living in substandard conditions. With rents capped through federal assistance, the project demonstrates how partnerships involving faith communities can directly benefit vulnerable populations.

Elsewhere, congregations have repurposed former church buildings for housing. In Concord, North Carolina, the former Kerr Street Baptist Church was acquired by a nonprofit and converted into Sanctuary Apartments, providing 13 affordable units. Renter Tyanna Van Dyke, a single mother, described the environment as peaceful and affordable, though she does not identify as particularly religious.

The Brooklyn project led by Pastor A.R. Bernard reflects years of negotiation and planning, often involving adjustments to meet local zoning and density concerns. Bernard acknowledged the challenges but remains confident in the project’s long-term benefits, with further phases slated for completion next summer. The effort exemplifies how faith organizations are increasingly engaging in innovative real estate development to support communities and sustain their missions amid changing demographic trends.