by Shawn Nowlin
There are more than 500 churches in the Roanoke Valley, including several dozen in the Star City. Some of them, such as Calvary Baptist on Campbell Avenue and Belmont Baptist Church in Southeast Roanoke, are being transformed into residential properties to assist those most in need.
These gestures are expected to have a significant impact. “I, like many others, view churches as the heartbeat of the community. Horror stories unfortunately exist, but for the most part, Roanoke churches believe it is the utmost importance to help as many people as possible,” Earl Newton said.
From experience, Stacey Williams knows just how important it is to have a reliable church family. “I do not want to publicly disclose too much, but let’s just say that my struggle is well-documented. When I hit rock bottom, it was my church community that brought me out of the abyss,” Williams said. “If not for that, I don’t know where I would be today.”
A thorough study recently conducted found that Roanoke is in desperate need of affordable housing. A conservative estimate puts the city short some 3,500 units. While redeveloping old church buildings doesn’t solve everything, it is a step in the right direction. Most of the units will range in size from 500-square-foot studio apartments to 900-square-foot multi-bedroom dwellings.
Last month, after years of declining membership and rising costs, Trinity United Methodist Church closed its doors for good. The same can be said for many others. With the financial reality, community shifts and other factors, Newton is not surprised that more and more churches are closing.
Restoration Housing is a Roanoke developer that wants to build even more affordable apartments, primarily for lower-income individuals. Presently there are three such projects being planned or currently under construction. At the top of the list of commonalities shared with each project is simple expenses becoming too much to overcome.
City leaders have to ultimately approve of any plans.
Having affordable housing is something every adult should have access to, noted Mackenzie Cook. He added, “I know what it is like to be without. When you experience the reality of homelessness, you tend to have a different perspective from others. I am grateful that local churches will soon become housing units,” he said.
Pending approval, residents will be able to move into the housing units as early as next spring.
