Bethel One: Affordable Housing on Church Property by Samantha Mandel

What is Bethel One?

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 20:21:11 UTC

A church in Logan Heights partnered with an affordable housing group, YIGBY, to establish a housing project called Bethel One for low-income seniors and veterans on property owned by the church (Bowen 2024). This project was made possible by reforms made by the city of San Diego which "streamlined permitting for affordable housing projects on church parking lots" (Bowen 2024). Together, YIGBY and the church, Bethel AME, work together to manage the project and ensure that it's on track for completion. The project demonstrates how housing policy changes combined with local group efforts can lead to the fruition of more affordable housing.

References

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 20:22:15 UTC

Bowen, A. (2024, January 12). San Diego’s first affordable housing project on church land under construction. KPBS Public Media. https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2024/01/08/san-diegos-first-affordable-housing-project-on-church-land-under-construction

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 20:40:37 UTC

Bowen 2024

City Housing Policies

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 20:53:04 UTC

In 2019, San Diego made policy changes in favor of affordable housing on church and non-profit properties that also protect future projects from being affected by zoning (Bowen 2024). This sets the city on a direction towards positive affordable housing projects that are partnered with local faith communities.

Stakeholders

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 21:30:13 UTC

Several religious communities have been a part of the "Yes in God's Backyard" (YIGBY) movement to advocate for housing projects on their land. The church partnered with this movement and is constructing Bethel One on their property. In order to limit the size of the project and extra fees from public subsidies, Bethel One "is funded entirely by private donations and loans" (Bowen 2024).

Planning Issues

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 21:35:01 UTC

The stakeholders previously needed to sort out zoning and policy restraints, but the city's reforms in 2019 allowed this project to be set in motion. Since UC Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation located "4,675 acres of potentially developable land" in San Diego County, the next step is to mobilize more faith communities and networks to jumpstart more affordable housing projects (Bowen 2025).

Pros & Cons

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 21:50:11 UTC

A positive aspect of this movement is that affordable housing for low-income groups will be more available if YIGBY succeeds in utilizing these developable lands for this purpose. A negative aspect, however, is the cost of development. Gathering funds from private institutions and donors or complying with supplemental fees and requirements by using public subsidies make this process difficult and time-consuming.

Bethel One's Current Status

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 21:56:37 UTC

The project of Bethel One is currently ongoing, and construction has been successfully moving forward. The reverend of the church hosting the project's construction expects to see it completed by the end of the year (Bowen 2024).

Conclusion

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 22:18:09 UTC

The story of Bethel One reveals how policy advocacy and organizational efforts play a role in the creation of more affordable housing as it specifically pertains to faith communities. YIGBY holds a significant position for recognizing the utility of willing faith communities with developable land and collaborating to attain a tangible reality for affordable housing. I think this story was inspiring, but a more in-depth look behind the scenes to understand how land-use planning, management, and regulations are involved in this project. As a student and resident of San Diego, this story indicates how the city might be changing, and provides a glimpse into a possible future of more affordable housing.

Bethel One Construction

smandel7 — 2024-01-21 22:25:50 UTC