The Power of Faith-Owned Land

On June 2, 2025 Imagine Housing and ARCH hosted an event to explore the power of faith-owned land for affordable housing.  Faith leaders, policy experts, developers, and elected officials gathered to understand how religious organizations can play a critical role in providing affordable housing in East King County. Thank you to the speakers, panelists, and moderators who spoke to over 80 participants:

• Rep. Osman Salahuddin, Washington House of Representatives

• Daniel Warwick, HR&A

• Jess Blanch, Enterprise Community Partners (Faith-Based Development)

• Cathy Relyea, St. Peter’s United Methodist Church

• Kristin Joyner, Bothell UMC

• Kurt Lutterman, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church

• Yi Zhao, Imagine Housing

• Lindsay Masters, ARCH

Key takeaways include:

• East King County is facing a severe housing shortage, creating an affordable housing crisis.

• Faith-based organizations have recognized this need, and are interested in playing a role in addressing the housing crisis.

• East King County has 742 acres of faith-owned land.

• Faith-based organizations need steady internal leadership to maintain momentum with lengthy development processes.

• To increase production on faith-based land, jurisdictions should consider expanding local funding, allowing mixed-income development, and adopting regulatory incentives.

Below are resources to help you explore the potential for affordable housing in partnership with religious organizations:

• Assessing Affordable Housing Opportunities on Faith-Based Land – Full Report and 1-Page Summary

• Interactive maps of faith-owned land in East King County

• Affordable Housing Development Potential on the Eastside (resources from Imagine Housing)

• Glossary of affordable housing terms related to faith-owned land

• “Gone for Good: Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition” book

• Your Church Can Help Build Affordable Housing flyer from LISC