Kevin Campbell: Can churches help solve the housing crisis? One Raleigh church thinks so

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By Kevin Campbell

Faith communities have long driven meaningful change, from advancing civil rights to uplifting entire neighborhoods. As Raleigh confronts a severe housing affordability crisis, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church is building on that legacy, joining forces with the Raleigh Area Land Trust (RALT) to address this urgent need. Together, they’ve created a model in Wake County for how faith-based organizations can tackle complex issues like housing access and stability.

In November 2024, St. Michael’s announced a $300,000 donation to RALT to support the development of 18 permanently affordable homes in Raleigh’s Idlewild neighborhood. For the first time in Wake County, a church and a community land trust (CLT) have come together to create a sustainable solution to housing instability. This partnership goes beyond short-term relief and focuses on establishing a foundation of lasting affordability, something Raleigh urgently needs as housing prices skyrocket and accessible options for working families dwindle.

RALT’s CLT model lies at the heart of this approach. Through this model, RALT retains land ownership while families purchase the homes. By separating land from homeownership, RALT keeps prices lower, making it possible for families who might otherwise be priced out to become homeowners. These families build equity, but resale prices remain controlled, ensuring each property stays affordable for future buyers. This approach has proven successful in other communities facing similar housing pressures, and we’re confident it will be just as transformative in Wake County.

Rev. Gregory Jones, rector of St. Michael’s, emphasizes that the church’s commitment goes beyond funding alone; it’s about building a Raleigh where all people can thrive. By collaborating with RALT, St. Michael’s sets a new standard for faith communities, demonstrating how they can tackle entrenched issues like housing by investing in stability that benefits the entire city.

Across the United States, churches are partnering with community land trusts (CLTs) to address housing affordability by transforming underutilized land into sustainable housing solutions. In Eugene, Oregon, Peace Presbyterian Church collaborated with SquareOne Villages to develop Peace Village Co-op, a 70-unit project that combines the CLT model with a limited-equity cooperative. This initiative repurposed church property into permanently affordable housing, demonstrating how faith-based organizations can play a pivotal role in community development. 

Similarly, in Houston, Texas, the Houston Community Land Trust has worked with local churches to create affordable housing options, leveraging church-owned land to benefit low-income families. These partnerships align with the mission of faith communities to serve their neighborhoods, offering impactful and sustainable solutions to housing shortages.

With Wake County’s median sold home price now at $470,000, affordable options are disappearing, and even middle-income families are struggling to buy homes in the neighborhoods they serve. RALT’s CLT model offers a way to combat this by stabilizing prices, and creating options that families can count on for generations. For those who call Raleigh home, this initiative isn’t just an opportunity — it’s a vital pathway to preserving the community. 

We believe this model is scalable and can add another means of creating affordable homes in a market that desperately needs them, so RALT will continue to buy homes and land as we are able. Some wonder how we’ll be able to continue expansion without being primarily driven by the profit motive. But we have had success finding investors that are satisfied with a lower return on their investment, motivated by the philanthropic goal of increasing the stock of affordable homes in the community long term.

The first homes are expected to break ground in early 2025. While this project alone won’t solve housing affordability challenges, it offers a clear and promising path forward. Community-driven initiatives like this partnership between St. Michael’s and RALT create a place where families from all backgrounds can put down roots and build a future. If more partnerships like this take hold, the church-CLT partnership could become a model for cities facing similar challenges, balancing growth with inclusivity and creating housing solutions that serve all residents.

Kevin Campbell is the executive director of the Raleigh Area Land Trust, which focuses on creating permanently affordable housing in Wake County.