Page 7 - Presbyterian Connection Fall 2025

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ConnectionP R E S B Y T E R I A N
The Church and
Affordable Housing
The Rev. Lora Nafziger,
PCC mission staff,
United Mission to Nepal
By the Rev. Neil Ellis, Centerville-
Harmony Ecumenical Shared
Ministry in South Monaghan, Ont.
November 22 is National Housing
Day and throughout many com-
munities in Canada, there is a
growing lack of affordable hous-
ing. The Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation estimates
that an average of 480,000 new
housing starts are needed over
the next decade to restore af-
fordability nationwide (see cmhc-
schl.gc.ca, “Housing shortages
in Canada”). It’s important to
note that this figure encompasses
all housing types, not just afford-
able units.
For The Presbyterian Church
in Canada, this raises a crucial
question: How can we leverage
our properties to help address this
pressing need? How can congre-
gations—both thriving and those
considering closure—contribute
to providing affordable housing?
It’s a daunting prospect. As the
saying goes, “Blessed are those
who plant trees under whose
shade they will never sit.” While
inspiring, embarking on a housing
development journey is complex,
with many legal, financial and
pastoral considerations.
The “why” behind church in-
volvement in housing is clear. De-
veloping housing allows church
land to continue serving the social
good and aligns with the church’s
mission to serve the vulnerable.
For congregations nearing the
end of their lifecycle, develop-
ing affordable housing can be a
powerful way to maximize social
impact and leave a legacy.
A critical decision for any con-
gregation is whether to retain
ownership of the property or
to sever part of the land and al-
low a third party to develop and
operate the housing. The latter
option is simpler for congrega-
tions, and while the sale of land
could provide financial benefit,
it means parting with property,
which some congregations may
be reluctant to do. However, de-
veloping and operating housing
directly presents numerous chal-
lenges. From the initial commit-
ment, the pre-construction phase
alone can take up to five years,
with construction adding several
more years. Building housing is,
regrettably, not a quick process.
Another significant question
is whether the congregation will
operate the housing units them-
selves. While it’s natural for
churches to demonstrate pasto-
ral concern for those in need of
housing, acting as a landlord in-
troduces legal responsibilities to
all tenants that can conflict with
pastoral inclinations. Even if a
third-party company is hired to
operate the units while the church
retains ownership, careful con-
sideration is still required about
the relationship that is developed
with tenants.
A successful housing project
is deeply rooted in community
engagement. While the need for
housing, especially afford-
able housing, is widely acknowl-
edged, what might be surprising
is that communities surround-
ing churches may not welcome
“that type of housing” nearby.
For example, Tyndale University
in Toronto faced significant local
opposition to its plans to develop
over 1,500 housing units, half of
which would be affordable. (The
Toronto Star ran an article about
this project and pointed out that
some locals call the plan “sacri-
legious.”) As someone involved
in housing advocacy and who
has managed a homeless shel-
ter, I’m consistently astonished
by local opposition to helping our
most vulnerable. When consid-
ering housing development, be
prepared to address community
concerns about density, traffic,
parking and the overall character
of the neighbourhood.
As followers of Christ, we
are called to radical hospitality.
The development of affordable
housing is a tangible manifesta-
tion of God’s kingdom. It repre-
sents responsible stewardship
of the property entrusted to us
and demonstrates the church’s
awareness of the pressing issues
facing our communities. We un-
derstand the profound impact that
providing housing will have. With
open minds and hearts, diligent
planning, and unwavering faith,
we can move forward on this vital
issue.
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