Affordable housing and the church in community

In April 2009 the congregation at St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick opened the doors of their brand new facility, Luther Place. This facility not only included a new space for worship, but also 45 apartment units for affordable housing.

One of the most important roles of the church is to spread the love of God throughout the surrounding communities. This means looking beyond the walls of the church building to the needs of society. The congregation at St. Matthew did just that in their latest project.

The idea for Luther Place was born several years ago when the church was evaluating much needed building repairs. The idea was suggested that the church incorporate these needs with its mission in the community in a way that was practical for both the congregation and the community at large.

Considering the location of the church in downtown Fredericton, near many businesses and right across from the hospital, the congregation at St. Matthew decided to partner with the provincial government and invest in affordable housing.

When the federal government dropped the national housing strategy in the mid 1990s, the responsibility for housing was delegated to the provinces. Most provinces, including New Brunswick, could not handle the magnitude of this particular need. As a result, affordable housing remains out of reach for many Canadians, including many in the Fredericton area.

The congregation at St. Matthew requested assistance from the New Brunswick Department of Social Development, and the province agreed to help the church subsidize the apartment units for affordable housing. After a few years of planning, construction began on Luther Place in March 2008.

A space was set aside on the ground floor for the church to hold worship services, as well as offices for church staff. On the other floors, 45 apartment units were completed, including 33 singles and 12 two-bedroom units.

In order to be considered, applicants had to be below a specific level of income. Interviews were conducted with each prospective tenant and within the first eight hours, 40 units were already taken, demonstrating the need for access to affordable housing.

Many of the residents of Luther Place were homeless before moving in and for most tenants the transition has been quite smooth. Dale Peterson, President of the Luther Place project, expressed the joy he has in his own interactions with the tenants. There are always tenants eager to lend a helping hand with any work to be done on the property and many like to chat with Peterson and the others about the pleasures of having a home.

Since the opening of Luther Place, the congregation at St. Matthew has grown and parishioners feel privileged to be part of such a great project. Several other churches across the country have already undertaken similar housing projects, such as the Green Phoenix in Toronto, while others are interested in starting projects of their own. The idea is spreading.

An undertaking of this magnitude is no easy task, says Peterson, especially considering the challenges of running a business, coordinating between multiple federal and provincial departments and the general maintenance of the facility. But if a church is really committed to such a project, the rewards are great. The people at St. Matthew gained a new facility for worship services; while at the same time putting a decent and affordable roof over the heads of dozens of their fellow community members.