Last Sunday (12/10/2023) brought what might have been our shortest congregational meeting ever: within nine minutes, the congregation enthusiastically affirmed the motion to elevate Rev. Kelly Colwell to co-senior minister with Rev. Molly Baskette, a move that both recognizes Kelly’s manifold gifts and brings increased stability and sustainability to our community.
After Moderator Jeanne Strauss closed the official congregational meeting, our chosen affordable housing developers EBALDC, along with their architects, Yes Duffy Associates and David Baker Associates, offered an illuminating presentation on their findings so far about the site we are offering a ground lease on. With attention to creative design and a community-engaged process, together we can build dignified and beautiful housing for 70 families on our relatively small site!
As a reminder, the church will not be landlords of this housing; EBALDC manages every aspect of its apartments from securing funding, managing the build, and ongoing property management and resident support services. They have a long history in the East Bay and a stellar reputation.
Where we will come into the project: we can accelerate its success by engaging in advocacy for measures to support more funding for affordable housing (per our Vision!), we will be partners in the planning and community engagement processes, and when residents have moved in, we will have opportunities to befriend, support, and invite them to our programming or offer specific programming that meets their needs. Seventy new families next door = many new neighbors to love and serve, who might bless a church like ours!