California lawmaker wants to make it easier for churches and colleges to build affordable housing

Two years after a state law went into effect allowing churches and other faith-based institutions, along with independent institutions of higher education, to build affordable housing units on their properties, a Southern California lawmaker wants to do the same at the federal level.

Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-San Pedro, is a co-author of the Yes in God’s Backyard Act, which would make it easier for qualifying religious and higher education institutions to build affordable housing while incentivizing local governments to adopt policies to remove barriers to such development.

According to bill sponsors, faith-based organizations and colleges are often large landowners but face obstacles to building affordable housing due to outdated zoning laws and cumbersome permitting processes.

“We need every possible tool to expand affordable housing — that’s why this bill puts trusted community partners at the center of the solution and gives local governments the tools they need to remove unnecessary barriers and build homes people can afford,” Barragán, who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, said in a statement.

The legislation, if passed, would provide technical assistance to eligible faith-based organizations and public or other nonprofit colleges and universities that wish to develop affordable rental housing on their properties and provide technical support to local governments to share best practices and streamline such development.

In addition, it would establish a grant program to reward communities that adopt policies to eliminate barriers to building affordable housing on land owned by religious and higher education institutions.

Barragán introduced the bill along with Rep. Shontel Brown, a Democrat from Ohio. A previous version of the bill was introduced by then-U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio during the last congressional session. Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, is now the lead sponsor of the Senate version of the legislation this session.

Proponents of the House bill cite an existing California law as proof that removing barriers can help get more affordable housing units in the construction pipeline.

In late 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, which made it easier for qualifying religious institutions and independent colleges to build affordable housing on land they own by rezoning the property and preventing the state’s environmental review process and local review processes from holding up such projects.

Proponents of that effort included several pro-housing and homeless advocates. But opponents, including some municipalities, raised concerns that disregarding local zoning and land-use decisions would mean a loss of local control.

Today, as a result of California’s law, at least 80 congregations in Los Angeles are exploring housing projects on their lands, according to Barragán’s office.

Her office also noted that other states — including New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia, Texas, Arizona and New Jersey — have similar efforts underway or are considering following suit.