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[Back to index of December articles] Diocesan Council to consider affordable housing proposal By Lucy Chumbley The Diocese of Washington is trying to decide what to do with two pieces of property it owns, Canon Paul Cooney told the Diocesan Council at its Nov. 8 meeting. The two tracts - a property on Brightseat Road in Prince George's County and land in Germantown in Montgomery County - are not suitable sites for churches and currently have a combined market value of at least $4.4 million, he said. "If we should decide to dispose of real estate, should we give a preference to non-profit organizations?" he asked. Driving the question is a proposal from the Transitional Housing Corporation, a faith-based nonprofit that provides housing and comprehensive support services to homeless and at risk families, to build 110 units of affordable housing on the Germantown site. Polly Donaldson, executive director of THC told council members of the need for more affordable housing in Montgomery County, citing rising rents and skyrocketing prices. THC Affordable Housing Inc. and Bozzuto Group would develop the property, and Montgomery County has agreed to help with the financing, she said, although "the county doesn't want to have to pay market rate for the land." The appraised value of the Germantown property is $3.2 million, but it could potentially sell for more than that, Cooney said. The THC project is offering to pay $2.9 million. The total cost of the project is expected to be $18 to $20 million. "We think this is an important project, and we think you would be proud of it," Donaldson said. "It would make you lead by example - not only for other Episcopal Churches, but for other churches in the entire Washington area." If the project goes ahead, it would provide affordable housing to families earning less than 65 percent of the area median income - approximately $57,850 for a family of four. It also would be a place where graduates of THC's Partner Arms program and other transitional programs could move as a next step toward self sufficiency. The Diocesan Council will discuss the matter further at its Dec. 13 meeting, and is expected to come to a decision at its January meeting. In other matters the council: - Welcomed new council member John Pontius, a lay parishioner from Christ Church, Washington, to his first meeting. Pontius was elected at the Region 1 Assembly this fall. - Approved a $25,000 Latino Ministry grant to fund a part-time person who will help build the Latino ministry at St. Stephen and the Incarnation. - Began to discuss the 2006 operating budget. A proposal will be submitted to the Diocesan Convention in January. See story, page 14. [Back to index of December articles]
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