Religious groups are unlocking value from both the earth beneath their feet and the sky above their heads.
The city of Vancouver’s places of worship, which sit upon more than $3.4 billion of real estate, are getting into the housing game more than ever before, scaling projects skywards in an attempt to benefit both their congregations and a community facing a housing crisis.
The B.C. arm of the United Church of Canada is developing 500 units of rental housing spread over five sites in some of the province’s most expensive municipalities. Kim rents in the West End with his wife and three kids under age 10, and says he’s keenly aware of the struggles of tenants in this housing market. His own apartment is full of boxes this week, as his family packs up for their third move in five years.
“With any organization, there are obviously some folks who are concerned about it,” Kim said. “But what’s guiding the church is the opportunity to serve the community. … This is not just for our quote-unquote church people, this is for the West End community. So with all of that considered, yeah, for sure there were people who were concerned. But the congregation had made a decision with a sense of vision around it, and we’re moving forward.
“What’s really changed in the last 10 years … is that asset they have, especially in urban centres, is a lot more valuable,” Davie said. “So the discrepancy between what’s built on site and what’s possible to build has grown exponentially.” Under the B.C. Assessment Act, places of public worship are generally exempted from property taxes. However, other property owned by a religious organization, including parking lots, offices and even vacant lots slated for future development, may be subject to property taxes.
A major pillar of the B.C. government’s HousingHub program, launched last year to develop homes for households with average incomes between $50,000 and $100,000, was inspired by religious groups that said they need a facilitator to connect them with developers. Working with HousingHub, Harrison is developing 75 rental units at Como Lake United in Coquitlam, another 140 units at Brighouse United in Richmond and 100 at Lakeview United in east Vancouver. The United Church of Canada will maintain ownership of the five properties, she said, while the congregations will gain a modern new church space and a stream of rent revenue.
“There has to be death before there can be resurrection,” said Harrison, who is upfront about how most United Church congregations in B.C. are struggling, even if a relative few are thriving. “Something has to give to let something new emerge from what has been happening.” Jewish groups, whose members also have long roots in the province, have provided seniors’ homes for decades, and have more recently expanded into other types of housing, especially for lower-income Jewish families.
“There’s a DIY culture in many congregations,” Harrison said, which can be a downside in the complex world of real estate, especially in a high-priced market. If an organization can subsidize affordable homes — such as for seniors or low-income families — that provides a clear benefit for the community. But with the realities of Vancouver’s housing market, with a near-zero rental vacancy rate putting pressure on all kinds of families and not only the most vulnerable, even the addition of new apartments at market rents can be helpful, said Bird.
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