Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
When you think about tackling the housing crisis, your first thought probably isn’t “let’s see what the religious folks can whip up.” Sure, why not? After all, divine intervention is now a policy tool, right up there with zoning laws and tax incentives.
According to a recent piece by The New York Times, some religious congregations are now stepping up, taking a break from their usual bread-and-wine routine to deal with real estate and affordable housing. Sounds pretty heavenly to me, if not a tad ambitious.
The Breakdown
- Preach and Build
Because nothing says ‘Sunday morning’ like hard hats and zoning codes. Some congregations are converting their precious land into affordable housing projects. Attend a sermon, get a condo. Divine indeed! - Jesus Saves… on Utilities?
It’s miraculous! Churches dabbling in real estate are promising energy-efficient homes. Because if there’s anyone who cares about reducing your carbon footprint, it’s your local pastor, now moonlighting as an environmental consultant. - From Prayers to Permits
They’re trading hymns for construction noise. Forget Moses parting the Red Sea; the real miracle is getting a building permit in a city like New York without bribing a half-dozen officials. - Holy ROI
Turns out the collections taken during Mass might just be the seed funding for the next big housing project. Next up, the Vatican entering the stock market? - Community Services or Community Development?
Providing shelters through shelters—how meta! Churches are now all about horizontal expansion. Holy water with your new house keys, anyone?
The Counter
- Can I get an amen or a building inspector?
Sure, turning wine into water is cool, but ensuring that the plumbing doesn’t mirror Moses’ 40-year trek through the desert might be a tad bit more useful for the residents. - Profit Prophets
Are these housing projects truly non-profit, or is this a divine strategy to fill up the holy coffers? After all, turning the other cheek doesn’t pay the bills. - Saint or Developer?
It’s heartening to see religious leaders becoming community developers, but when did ‘Love thy neighbor’ turn into ‘Charge thy neighbor’? Accountability transcends spirituality, folks. - Spiritual Zoning Laws
Congregations managing real estate sounds great until you realize Holy Communion might now include a monthly homeowners association fee. - Gospel of Gentrification?
Is this about helping the needy, or just a holy makeover to the neighborhood? Let’s pray the rent doesn’t rise with the steeple.
The Hot Take
Alright, let’s lay down the gospel according to Black. If religious congregations can take on real estate and tackle the housing crisis, maybe there’s a spark of the divine in bureaucracy after all. But let’s be real—unless these projects scale like Jesus’ loaves and fishes, we’re just preaching to the choir in a very expensive cathedral.
The solution? Maybe it’s time for a liberal revelation. Let’s mix some old-time religion with some solid welfare policies. Universal basic housing, backed by the almighty dollar rather than divine will, could be our salvation. After all, if the meek are going to inherit the earth, they’ll need somewhere to live.
Each of these titles encapsulates the miraculous mishmash of religion and real estate. So, as the good book says—or maybe it’s the zoning regulations, I get those confused—let us build. And let it be affordable. Amen, and pass the tax breaks!
Source: What Would Jesus Do? Tackle the Housing Crisis, Say Some Congregations.
