Bishop John Harvey Taylor accepts the National CORE “Community Partner of the Year” award on behalf of the diocese
National CORE, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, honored the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles as “Community Partner of the Year” last week for its commitment to affordable housing, and the goal to build affordable housing on 25% of church properties throughout the diocese, set by Bishop John Harvey Taylor.
“Housing is a gospel value,” Bishop Taylor said. “These new communities are a reminder that if we have a clear vision and mission, we can make a difference for our neighbors.”
National CORE developed and operates the Santa Angelina senior apartments on the property of Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Placentia. The development, which opened earlier this year, serves seniors with income below 60% of the area’s median income, and has 21 units designated to be permanent supportive housing for unhoused seniors, or seniors at risk of becoming unhoused.
Orchard View Gardens, an affordable housing development nearing completion at St. Joseph’s Church, Buena Park, was also developed and will be operated by National CORE. This community will have 66 apartment homes for low-income seniors, 13 of which will be designed for permanent supportive housing, National CORE has a third development underway at St. Ambrose Church in Claremont.
In addition to these three communities with National CORE and an affordable housing community opened in 2023 on the campus of St. Michael’s Ministry Center in Riverside with a different developer, at least 11 other affordable housing opportunities are currently being explored throughout the diocese.
In attendance at the Oct. 17 gala, along with Taylor and Canon Kathy O’Connor, his spouse, was the Rev. Michael Bell, director of housing and business development at Episcopal Communities and Services (ECS), who plays an important role in helping congregations assess the feasibility of affordable housing projects on their land. If congregations decide to pursue affordable housing projects, Bell helps introduce them to potential developers, discern next steps, and go through the preferred diocesan review process to obtain necessary consents and legal review at each step of the process. Bell said that National CORE has been reliable and successful in three projects so far with Episcopal churches in the diocese. He and Taylor said that they look forward to working with National CORE on future projects.
Rev. Michael Bell, Jessica Brown, and Taylor (from left to right), at the gala
In the program for the gala, National CORE said that building affordable housing communities on faith-based properties can have profound results. “These communities offer not just housing, but a deeply integrated support network where residents benefit from the compassion and engagement of the church community.” National CORE thanked the diocese and its churches for their commitment to developing affordable housing, and dedication to “uplifting the most vulnerable among us.”
As churches evaluate their sustainability, discern community needs, and determine how to adapt – and in the face of a constant and ongoing housing affordability and homelessness crisis across the counties of the diocese – affordable housing developments often emerge as an option to live out religious values while also supplementing income to help maintain church operations. Bell said that affordable housing may not be the right fit for every church, and viability will vary based on many factors, but hosting affordable housing on church land can be the answer to important questions that Bell says churches should be asking themselves: “How will we adapt our ministries and operations for sustainability?”; “How can assets we’ve inherited be put to the highest and best use in service of our most vulnerable neighbors?”; and “what is God asking of us in our community?”
For more information about the diocese’s affordable housing initiative, contact the Rev. Michael Bell at mbell@ecsforseniors.org