.png)
NYC Policy News
The City Planning Commission voted to approve Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan. The commission passed the plan by a 10-3 vote and it will head for a vote in the City Council next, the final step in a public review process. The initiative aims to increase the city's housing supply and decrease costs.
On September 26th, the City of New York announced the launch of the GreenHOUSE Fund to help building owners comply with Local Law 97 while driving critical emissions reduction projects in affordable housing.
Starting next spring, offset certificates will be available for purchase at $268 per ton of carbon emissions. Proceeds will go directly to reducing emissions in rent-regulated apartments and low-income co-ops, improving air quality, and advancing our decarbonization goals. Learn more here.
Learn how houses of faith can comply with LL97 at our previous Local Law 97: New Guidance for Houses of Faith event.
Interfaith
LaGuardia Airport’s newly opened interfaith chapel serves as a sanctuary for travelers of all faiths. The chapel, a result of collaboration between chaplains representing Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism, offers a sacred space where weary travelers can find solace. Spearheaded by airport chaplains and Delta Air Lines, this chapel is a place where people of different beliefs can pause for spiritual connection and peace.
At the Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, Illinois, a diverse group of meditators gathers weekly in a space that embodies both spiritual healing and community unity. Led by Sri Lankan monk Bhante Sujatha, the temple promotes a spiritual approach to welcome newcomers. Their recent unveiling of the "Healing, Unity, Garden" featuring a 20-foot-tall Medicine Buddha statue is a testament to the temple's outreach efforts, providing a sanctuary for reflection and peace.
Local Partnerships
With the help of local residents and political leaders, the General Theological Seminary in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan has now formed a partnership with Vanderbilt University. This collaboration will secure the seminary’s future, providing resources for educational and spiritual growth, and benefiting both the seminary and New York City as a whole. Watch New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher’s remarks here.
Space Use and Affordable Housing
The Better Together Center in Utica, New York, is transforming a former church into a sensory-friendly recreational facility for people with developmental disabilities. The center, which will offer various activities like arts, music, and arcade games, is a collaborative effort with the Utica Center for Development. Though primarily for adults, the center will have dedicated days for children, and memberships will be open to individuals from outside the area.
Similarly, St. Katharine Drexel Place in Northeast Philadelphia is another example of repurposing religious property to meet community needs. The Catholic Housing and Community Services is transforming an old friary into affordable senior housing. The project will offer 48 one-bedroom units, along with supportive services such as health care and recreational activities. This effort, which earned a prestigious award for its creative reuse of church property, preserves the building’s historical significance while addressing the housing crisis.
A broader movement of church property repurposing was highlighted at the Future of Church Property conference. Religious congregations are finding innovative ways to use their underutilized spaces to generate income and support community needs. Examples include leasing spaces for social enterprises, offering community services, or developing affordable housing.
Real Estate
The Elmwood Community Church, which closed in June after 150 years of worship, has been sold for $700,000 to the Brazilian-based Maranatha Christian Church. The Maranatha Church, founded in Brazil in 1968 and now with 40 locations in the U.S. and Canada, will hold a dedication for the new Hartford parish on October 7th. The former Elmwood congregation had planned the closure in advance and will donate profits from the sale to nonprofits aligned with its mission. Maranatha's services will be bilingual, held in both Portuguese and English.
Faith Advocacy
The Harris-Walz campaign recently appointed Rev. Jen Butler as its national faith engagement director. Rev. Butler, a Presbyterian minister, brings years of experience as an activist, having founded Faith in Public Life and participated in campaigns supporting immigrant rights, health care reform, and LGBTQ rights.
Sikh women in the U.S. have been using their faith's legacy of activism to engage their community in the political process. Through initiatives like "Kaur Power Hour," Sikh American women are mobilizing voters, especially fellow Sikh women, to register and participate in elections.
If you enjoy these weekly updates, please consider becoming a Bricks and Mortals member or making a contribution so we can continue to provide this and resources like it.
Sign up to join our mailing list and get these every week!
