Building Community On Church Land Again

About this episode

Eli Smith discusses how churches can repurpose underused land for housing and community spaces.

Eli Smith, director of the Faith-Based Housing Initiative, joins the show to talk about churches turning underused land and aging buildings into housing and everyday community spaces. He explains how his team helps congregations understand their property, imagine specific projects, and gain the language and tools they need to work with developers, lenders, and local officials. Eli and Tiffany dig into the tension between commuter churches and a more rooted parish model, and why thoughtful design often leads congregations beyond a standard apartment block toward pocket neighborhoods and shared spaces. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Eli Smith (LinkedIn) Faith-Based Housing Initiative (Site) What I've learned from faith-based housing (Substack) Local Recommendations:‍ The Franklin Inn Scoop Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here! This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Thank you! Join fellow members discussing this episode in The Commons.

People in this episode

Guest: Eli Smith

Topics covered

• community building
• church land
• housing initiatives
• design
• local development

Keywords

• church land
• housing
• community spaces
• design
• local officials

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Faith-Based Housing Initiative

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