Lutherans back low-income homes in US and Caribbean
-20/11/05
As concerns continue abou
Lutherans back low-income homes in US and Caribbean
-20/11/05
As concerns continue about the gap between the rich and the poor, Lutheran Services in America (LSA) has launched an initiative to further support low-income families and, it hopes, change the face of affordable housing in the Caribbean and the United States.
ìLutherans have an enormous presence in affordable housing across the country,î said Jill Schumann, the president of Lutheran Services in America. ìThe trouble is, we don’t really know who is doing what and where.î
Schumann explained: ìOur goal is first to map what is happening by contacting all Lutheran social ministry organizations and congregations. We are building a very robust database and lots of [stories].î
The aim is then to mobilize expertise, assets and models and take a leadership role in private and public conversations about financing housing, urban development and increasing stock availability.
About two-thirds of the nearly 300 LSA member organizations provide some sort of housing, said Janice Ulrich, LSA Project Manager in Baltimore.
She went on: ìFor most social ministry organizations, starting a housing project seemed daunting in the beginning because of the associated paperwork involved. They needed the help of developers and consultants, but after a couple of years many confidently moved to self-sufficiency once they learned the drill.î
ìOne barrier that severely hampers progress in many areas is the ënot in my back yardí attitude,î declared Ulrich. ìFears that affordable housing will decrease a communityís property values causes strong opposition by residents and adds a lot of time and money to the project.î
ìThese fears are unfounded when thereís good planning, quality construction, good support for residents and good property management.î
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit financial services organization based in Minneapolis, is working with Habitat for Humanity to build as many as 500 homes annually in the United States by 2008.
Schacht is also surveying congregations in six of the ELCAís 65 synods. He says that ìthere are approximately 50 facilities owned or operated by congregations in those areas.î
Lutheran Services in America is an alliance of nearly 300 social ministry organizations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
[Also on Ekklesia: Neglect of poor in US budget bill immoral, says leading evangelical; Church leaders say federal budget remains profoudly unjust; Bishop: Bush budget ‘does not reflect the gospel’; Budget is a moral document, Bush warned]
Lutherans back low-income homes in US and Caribbean
-20/11/05
As concerns continue about the gap between the rich and the poor, Lutheran Services in America (LSA) has launched an initiative to further support low-income families and, it hopes, change the face of affordable housing in the Caribbean and the United States.
‘Lutherans have an enormous presence in affordable housing across the country,’ said Jill Schumann, the president of Lutheran Services in America. ‘The trouble is, we don’t really know who is doing what and where.’
Schumann explained: ‘Our goal is first to map what is happening by contacting all Lutheran social ministry organizations and congregations. We are building a very robust database and lots of [stories].’
The aim is then to mobilize expertise, assets and models and take a leadership role in private and public conversations about financing housing, urban development and increasing stock availability.
About two-thirds of the nearly 300 LSA member organizations provide some sort of housing, said Janice Ulrich, LSA Project Manager in Baltimore.
She went on: ‘For most social ministry organizations, starting a housing project seemed daunting in the beginning because of the associated paperwork involved. They needed the help of developers and consultants, but after a couple of years many confidently moved to self-sufficiency once they learned the drill.’
‘One barrier that severely hampers progress in many areas is the ënot in my back yard’ attitude,’ declared Ulrich. ‘Fears that affordable housing will decrease a community’s property values causes strong opposition by residents and adds a lot of time and money to the project.’
‘These fears are unfounded when there’s good planning, quality construction, good support for residents and good property management.’
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit financial services organization based in Minneapolis, is working with Habitat for Humanity to build as many as 500 homes annually in the United States by 2008.
Schacht is also surveying congregations in six of the ELCA’s 65 synods. He says that ‘there are approximately 50 facilities owned or operated by congregations in those areas.’
Lutheran Services in America is an alliance of nearly 300 social ministry organizations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
[Also on Ekklesia: Neglect of poor in US budget bill immoral, says leading evangelical; Church leaders say federal budget remains profoudly unjust; Bishop: Bush budget ‘does not reflect the gospel’; Budget is a moral document, Bush warned]