Strong Churches, Strong Towns: Faith-Based Housing as Incremental Development | Local-Motive Tour

Across America, faith institutions are rediscovering their historic role as neighborhood builders. In this session, Eli Smith will explore how churches and faith-based organizations can use land, buildings, and local trust to help create walkable, beautiful, and enduring communities.

Drawing from his work with faith-based housing efforts, Eli will trace how this work has evolved from the Great Society programs of the 1960s to today’s growing interest in redeveloping faith-owned land. He will also share practical strategies for helping congregations think through real estate questions, asset management, financing, zoning, ground leases, and stewardship models that allow them to retain ownership while supporting housing and neighborhood-scale development.

This session will look at how faith-based housing can move beyond one-off projects and become part of a broader approach to community renewal. Participants will hear how congregations can align their mission with incremental development, human-scale design, and the practical realities of building housing in existing neighborhoods.

Participants will come away with a clearer understanding of how faith communities can evaluate underused property, identify realistic development opportunities, and become catalysts for housing, walkability, and stronger neighborhood life.

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Get a single-stop ticket to attend just this session, or get a round-trip ticket to attend all Local-Motive sessions for the fall 2026 tour.