Faith ZTA, Faith faced institutions can build housing on their lands

[Anonymous]

I just read this on Facebook. This is the first I hear about this. This is being touted as affordable housing but I can’t help but think of religious compounds instead of affordable housing for all. If I buy affordable housing from a church, will I still be able to have secular parties? Apply by an apartment built on a mosque do I need to cover up or can I wear my tank top and shorts?

Council Vice President Kate Stewart and President Andrew Friedson introduced a zoning measure on Tuesday that would allow the construction of multifamily housing on properties used for religious assembly or private educational institutions.

“We are facing an affordable housing crisis. At the same time, houses of worship in our community find themselves with an oversupply of land, but too many barriers to easily put their land to use to support their mission and our broader community," stated Council Vice President Stewart. "The overall goals of the FAITH ZTA are to assist faith-based and private educational institutions to continue their work in the community and to facilitate a quicker, less cumbersome process to increase housing at all levels for both renters and home-buyers.”

Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 24-01, also known as the Facilitating Affordable Inclusive Transformational Housing (FAITH) ZTA, would remove barriers to the creation of affordable housing and provide reasonable flexibility in the development standards for multi-unit and townhouse living on properties associated with faith and educational institutions.

“Our faith-based institutions have been committed partners in addressing the affordable housing crisis but are currently limited in their ability to best support these efforts,” said Council President Friedson. “The FAITH ZTA would facilitate the creation of more affordable housing and bring forth a new and innovative opportunity for our faith-based organizations to provide for the community. These mission-driven institutions are at the forefront of supporting our most vulnerable communities and have the resources available to assist with addressing this crisis head on.”

Projects would qualify under the FAITH ZTA if dwelling units meet one of four affordability thresholds defined in the zoning measure. These projects will be reviewed as a conditional use before the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just read this on Facebook. This is the first I hear about this. This is being touted as affordable housing but I can’t help but think of religious compounds instead of affordable housing for all. If I buy affordable housing from a church, will I still be able to have secular parties? Apply by an apartment built on a mosque do I need to cover up or can I wear my tank top and shorts?

Try harder.

[Anonymous]

Not going to speak to your question about what is or what isn't allowed but I have seen it as a trend for many churches to do that in DC - in my neighborhood of SW DC, St Matthews, St Augustines and others have redeveloped and in exchange for getting a new church there are also apartments. I'm not completely sure, but think the apartment piece is actually managed by a developer on behalf of the church or a similar arrangement.

[Anonymous]

A bunch of apartment buildings in Shaw are owned by various local churches.

A lot of these proposed developments would be used to house elderly congregation members empty on the church property. Maybe housing for single mothers.

Think: developing over a portion of the parking lot.

This is a good thing, imho.