Housing Justice News Release 04 March 2008
For immediate release
Housing Justice works to transform old churches into affordable homes
Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice today launched a new project which will enable churches to create affordable homes from redundant church land and property across England.
The project, which the charity has named Faith in Affordable Housing, aims to reconcile the dilemma faced by many churches – balancing social objectives such as valuing everyone, justice for the poor and morality before wealth- with the pragmatic objectives of meeting the duties of trustees and maximising investment returns to keep ministry running.
Project workers will gather together technical information on what is required to release land and redundant properties for use as affordable housing to provide a one stop advice service for churches thinking about using their assets for affordable housing.
A listing of church assets which have already been developed as affordable housing, or have the potential for such use, will also be compiled. Through sharing good practice and showing what can be done Housing Justice hopes to inspire church leaders to turn unused assets into homes.
Over the next month researchers will be approaching the different Christian denominations throughout England to encourage them to participate in this piece of practical and action-oriented research.
St James the Apostle church in Camberwell that has been successfully converted into 18 housing association maisonettes
President of Housing Justice Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor commented: “I am delighted to commend this initiative to all faith communities who are seeking to respond to the needs of the homeless or poorly housed. In both urban and rural areas there is evidence of spiralling hardship which can lead to the loss of a basic requisite of human dignity – shelter. As people of faith we are called to address injustice in all its forms. I encourage diocesan trustees and those charged with the stewardship of charitable estates to explore options in relation to their estate issues and to consider, in this context, an option for the poor.”
Judith Maizel-Long of Housing Justice commented “This project will offer practical help to churches to use excess land and buildings to provide desperately needed affordable housing.”
She added “Churches are uniquely placed in the community and have a long history of action in this area through organisations such as the Housing Justice’s forerunners the Catholic Housing Aid Society and the Churches National Housing Coalition as well as through involvement in homelessness charities and local housing associations. We hope to build on this history to offer hope to those suffering from homelessness and poor housing today.”
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Notes
The Housing Justice project Faith in Affordable Housing will produce an up-to-date, accessible and informative guide aimed at Christian Church financial bodies in England by the end of 2008.
The project comes amidst widespread acknowledgement of the need to increase the supply of affordable housing. The government’s Affordable Rural Housing Commission and the Building and Social Housing Foundation recommended that churches give careful consideration to how church land or redundant property can be used to provide affordable housing and an income for the Church.
The project will demonstrate practical Christian concern and action in the community at a time when many young people and low-income families are experiencing great hardship.
A similar project, Make it Happen, run by the Scottish Churches Housing Action, has provided 400 homes in 23 local authorities across Scotland within two years of the publication of its guide.
Faith in Affordable Housing Project Group members
Judith Maizel-Long BA (Director of External Affairs, Housing Justice)
Dr Jill Hopkinson (National Rural Officer, Church of England)
Anne Dixon Dip Arch, RIBA, MA (Past.Th.) (Practising architect and lecturer in theology)
Richard Trahair BA (Hons) FRICS (Church of England Diocesan Property Secretary, Trustee of Housing Justice and Board member of a rural housing association)
James Derounian BSc (Hons), M.Phil., MRTPI, FHEA (Lecturer in Community Development and National Teaching Fellow)
Revd Canon Graham Hedger BA (Bishop’s Policy and Liaison Officer, Board member of a housing association and a Director of Suffolk ACRE)
Tracey Bessant BA (Hons) (Freelance Project Worker, author of Faith Inaction? and contributor to the Affordable Rural Housing Commission Final Report, 2006)
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing; it provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy. In total Housing Justice is actively involved in more than 35 communities across England and Wales.
Housing Justice works with, and for, homeless and badly housed people of all faiths, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
Further information on Housing Justice is available at www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans / Judith Maizel-Long at Housing Justice 020 7723 7273
Email info@housingjustice.org.uk