Grier Heights Collaboration
Canvassers from the Greenspon Center plan flyer distribution to invite Grier Heights residents to attend a Housing Partnership event to elicit community input for the upcoming development.
Three churches, a CDC, a non-profit affordable housing developer, and the Greenspon Center are all collaborating on creating affordable housing in Grier Heights, or as the residents call it, Griertown.
the money
In response to the city’s housing challenges, three churches and a community development corporation have stepped forward with a $910,000 loan for the Grier Heights Affordable Housing Project LLC. The three churches are Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, and Grier Heights Presbyterian Church, together with the CDC CrossRoads Corporation for Affordable Housing and Community Development. This loan is being provided interest-free loan to the project developer, The Housing Partnership. As with the Covenant Presbyterian example , these reduced financing costs are a critical component of making the project feasible.
the partners
Reverend Reggie Tuggle, interim pastor of Grier Heights Presbyterian Church, decided to be a part of this initiative because it aligned with his church’s goals and values. “This is not the first time we have partnered on projects like this,” he shared. “We believe in helping our neighbors.” Neighbors, they truly are. Grier Heights Presbyterian Church has been an institution in Griertown for nearly 90 years, living their church motto: “Serving God and Caring for the Community.”
“We truly believe that this financial commitment will be a catalyst for change along this corridor,” adds Reverend Dr. Joe Clifford, pastor at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, a 4,500-member congregation. “Our goal is to help create a safe and vibrant community for families who are in need of affordable housing, while preserving the legacy of Grier Heights.”
“This development in the Grier Heights neighborhood is an example of the collective action necessary to address the challenge of affordable housing as a community. We are excited to be a part of this initiative.” said Tiffany Capers, executive director of CrossRoads Corporation, a non-profit organization in partnership with the residents of Grier Heights, Myers Park Presbyterian Church, and numerous other stakeholders in the revitalization of Grier Heights.
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, founded 131 years ago, is another partner in this affordable housing development. For more than 20 years, the church has been led by Reverend Donnie R. Garris. The church’s mission statement is “Helping Persons to Realize God’s Creative Intent for His or Her Life as designed by God’s Word in the Areas of Worship, Discipleship, Evangelism, Ministry, and Fellowship.”
“The Housing Partnership is thrilled to see the faith-based community step forward and address Charlotte’s housing crisis,” said Julie Porter, president of The Housing Partnership. “Their actions speak volumes of their commitment to truly being a force of good for their neighbors in need.” The Housing Partnership is a broad-based, private, nonprofit housing development and financial corporation organized in 1988 to expand affordable and well-maintained housing and promote stable neighborhoods for low- and moderate-income families in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The agency provides assistance to residents of its properties to more fully enter the economic mainstream and achieve independence.
the project
The proposed site on Billingsley Road -- where sub-standard housing has already been safely demolished -- will provide rental housing for families in the 30 to 80 percent of area median income (AMI) ranges. The development will include one- to three-bedroom options and is within walking distance of amenities such as a family service center, grocery store, and pharmacy. Medical centers, the Grier Heights Community Center and the Naomi Drenan Recreation Center are less than a half-mile away. Additionally, there are multiple CATS bus stops served by two prominent bus routes near the proposed development.
In addition, The Housing Partnership and CrossRoads Corporation have acquired duplexes adjacent from the project’s property, and they are in discussion with Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte on how to improve the housing, adding to the area’s rebirth.
Over the next several years, this project will expand affordable and well-maintained housing for low- and moderate-income families in the Grier Heights neighborhood, located minutes from the center city of Charlotte.
the community
In an innovative move to solicit input from residents before designing the development, the Housing Partnership sponsored an Indaba, which means “gathering.” A four-hour event, including food and babysitting, the Indaba is a collaborative initiative with the Grier Heights Community Improvement Association and Crossroads Corporation.
To encourage residents to attend the Indaba, volunteers from the Stan Greenspon Center knocked on doors in the neighborhood and passed out flyers. Residents were pleased that their opinions were invited early in the process, as opposed to the more typical process of the developer presenting completed plans to the neighborhood to check the box of soliciting input.
Look for more updates as this exciting project progresses!
Simone McDowell is vice president of communications and fund development for The Housing Partnership. She oversees all communications programs, community and media relations, fund development and event planning. In this role, McDowell also promotes the Housing Partnership, increases brand awareness, and cultivates community support.
draft your plan
The following sets of questions are designed to get your congregation started on the journey to raise funds for affordable housing, if you do not have land of your own available:
The Place
o Is there a neighborhood that your congregation is connected with through its volunteer work or geographic proximity?
o Is there a community at risk of displacement because of development (gentrification)?
o Is there an agency utilizing subsidies to help move and sustain low-income people in market rate apartments?
The People
o Are you targeting affordable housing renters who need special services or those who simply need housing that fits within their budget? Is your property management plan creating a safe and quality place that will be maintained properly?
o Is there a particular population that your congregation has already demonstrated a connection to through volunteer work or donations? Would this housing serve that population?
o Consider the mission relevance to your congregation of low-income seniors, those recently released from prison, LGBTQ young adults, moms with multiple evictions, refugees, people with disabilities, or a specific income level group – all people with barriers to affordable and stable housing. If you have a desire to serve any special groups, communicate with your developer early to incorporate solutions into the overall development plan.
o Is there a process to connect tenants to services to enable them to increase their income over time?
o What kind of ongoing engagement does your congregation want to have?
The Partners
o Are there congregants with professional backgrounds in finance, development, or real estate law who would be willing to offer their expertise pro bono to start the search process? Would they be willing to step aside if a conflict of interest arose?
o What criteria will you use to select a developer and/or development to invest in?
o Who would appropriately manage volunteers from your congregation eager to participate?
o Pick development and community partners who can support your values in project execution, and that have a strong track record of putting together these complex investments, including your property manager.
o Establish regular communication channels and ensure everyone is on the same page, as you move through the development process.
The Plan
o Is the funding a gift or a loan?
o If you expect repayment, where does your church’s funding stand in line relative to other funders such as banks or government lenders?
o What role does the congregation have in the planning process?
o Who will serve as the owner’s rep with the developer? How will they report back to the congregation?
o What resources can you commit to the effort?
o What is your vision for success? Be sure to share these goals with your development and community partners.