Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
Church leaders in Texas are urging state legislators to pass laws that would make it easier for faith-based groups to build housing on their properties.
According to an article by Brittney Johnson for NBC Dallas, churches say the rezoning process for building housing can be expensive and time-consuming, with one Dallas-area church waiting six years for a permit to build affordable housing. “Now, they’re just months away from watching families move into 300 affordable units located just five miles from the church.”
A package of Texas state bills that includes House Bill 3172 would reduce barriers to housing and mixed-use development on church land and place the property on tax rolls while the church retains ownership. “The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops says if the ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ (YIGBY) legislation passes, there are churches ready and eager to tackle new housing projects across the state.”
FULL STORY: Amid affordable housing crisis, Texas churches push to build in “God's Backyard”
Colorado Church Fights for Right to Provide Housing
A church in Castle Rock, Colorado is suing the city, pointing out the lack of shelter options for unhoused residents in the area.
Faith-Based Housing Brings Light Density With Less Resistance
The ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ movement brings together powerful partners to develop housing in areas where development might otherwise encounter opposition.
California Housing Advocates Closely Watching Bay Area Rezoning Deadline
California’s reaction to cities that fail to submit compliant zoning plans could reverberate across the state as other regions near their deadlines.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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