wfn.org | Lutheran Services in America Opens Affordable Housing Initiative

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 18, 2005

Lutheran Services in America Opens Affordable Housing Initiative 05-227-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Services in America (LSA)
launched an initiative to change the face of affordable housing in the
United States and Caribbean.  LSA is an alliance of nearly 300 social
ministry organizations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
     "Lutherans have an enormous presence in affordable housing
across the country," said Jill Schumann, president, Lutheran Services
in America.  Many Lutheran social ministry organizations are known for
this work, and many Lutheran congregations are also engaged in providing
shelter for people with low incomes or no incomes, she said.
     "We don't really know who is doing what where," she said.
"Each group is doing it somewhat in isolation."
     "Our goal is first to map what is it that Lutherans are
doing in affordable housing," contacting all Lutheran social ministry
organizations and congregations, and asking them key questions about their
ministries, Schumann said.  "We are building a very robust database and
lots of anecdotes," she said.
     The next step will be to form a steering committee from the
people those mapping surveys identify as "doing good work in affordable
housing," Schumann said.  That steering committee can "mobilize expertise,
assets and models," she said, and take a leadership role in private and
public conversations about financing, housing and urban development,
and increasing the stock of affordable housing.
     About two-thirds of the nearly 300 LSA member organizations
provide some sort of housing, said Janice Ulrich, LSA project manager,
Baltimore.
     "We are trying to identify their struggles and what makes
them successful," she said.  "Where are the successful programs?
Who are the experts and who are the movers and shakers willing to respond
creatively and immediately to need?  Who are the bulldogs in advocacy?"
     "Lutheran organizations provide affordable housing across
the country in urban, small town, suburban and rural areas," Ulrich said.
"Lutherans supply housing and housing opportunities to the elderly,
persons with disabilities, children and families, the homeless, to people
with low to very low incomes, and even to individuals with moderate
incomes in the case of workforce housing," she said.
     Ulrich said the surveys are still being conducted, but she
offered some "initial findings."
     "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 routine," Ulrich said.
     "Having a Lutheran housing network of experienced colleagues
and resources to rely on could help more organizations not feel so
isolated during the start up of a new program," she said.
     "One barrier that severely hampers progress in many areas is
the 'not in my back yard' attitude.  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," Ulrich said.
     "These fears are unfounded when there's good planning,
quality construction, good support for residents and good property
management.  It's a safe bet these conditions exist when it's a Lutheran
organization involved with the project," she said, and a Lutheran housing
network would only increase those odds.
     Jeff Schacht is surveying Lutheran congregations "about
three categories of involvement" in affordable housing ministries.
     Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a nonprofit 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.  The congregations' involvement in the Thrivent Builds Homes
program is the first category, Schacht said.
     Schacht said he has also been asking more general questions
about any support congregations may provide local shelters or other
agencies.
     The "most intensive" part of the survey is to question
congregations directly involved in providing housing, Schacht said.
"A number of congregations have organized independent not-for-profit
corporations to manage property or properties," he said.
     Schacht surveyed congregations in four of the ELCA's 65
synods for his final diaconal ministry project -- an analysis of how
and why Lutheran churches become involved in affordable housing --
at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.  He has since
contacted congregations in two more synods.
     "There are approximately 50 facilities owned and/or operated
by congregations in those (six) synods.  This does not represent 50
congregations, however, because some congregations have built or run
multiple housing properties," Schacht said.  -- -- --
     The home page for Lutheran Services in America is at
http://www.lutheranservices.org/ on the Web.

     An audio report on this story is available at
http://media.elca.org/audionews/051013.mp3 on the Web.

For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or
news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news