Places of worship tackle the affordable housing shortage
The 90-year-old Southeast Tabernacle Baptist Church has been a spiritual refuge in Ward Eight in Washington, DC, for decades. Ward Eight’s struggles include some of the highest rates of poverty and teenage pregnancy in the city, according to pastor Donald Isaac.
“We have a very challenging community,” Isaac said. “We have been fortunate enough to own an entire block, and we have now undergone a process to develop a project we call the First Street Village.”
The plan is to tear down the existing church and replace it not only with a new worship facility but also with nearly 80 units of rental housing and community space. The church’s nonprofit partner—East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership—has received a $50,000 grant, as well as additional capacity-building grants.
