Church Community Housing Corporation has focused on improving housing options for low and moderate income residents in Newport since it first opened in 1969. Church is the only CDC operating in Newport and manages 528 rental units in 13 different properties, including 6 Low Income Housing Tax Credit partnerships, an assisted-living facility and a large scattered site portfolio of 104 units.
“According to the 2019 HousingFactbook, more than 45% of renter households in Newport are cost-burdened,” said Christian Belden, Executive Director of Church Community Housing. “There is a misconception that Newport doesn’t have a low or moderate-income population, but there is a large workforce here that supports the tourism and restaurant industries.”
The organization has worked creatively to develop opportunities for affordable housing solutions on Aquidneck Island. Harbor House, for example, is an historic convent that has been restored together with surrounding buildings to provide affordable housing for senior citizens. The founder of Harbor House, Ade Bathune, envisioned the restoration of this unique collection of buildings as a way to bring older citizens together in a retirement community. The facility used the smaller nun’s quarters as apartments and combined those with large communal living areas, gardens and a chapel. The end result has been to provide senior housing that also delivers an antidote to senior isolation.
“We have 38 apartments in Harbor House, many of which use Section 8 Vouchers,” said Belden. “Unfortunately, there is currently a waiting list of more than 200 people.”
Since 1976, Church has administered the City of Newport’s revolving loan initiative for the rehab of homes through the Community Development Block Grant program, and now manage that program for Jamestown, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, and Little Compton.
With land costs skyrocketing, in 1993 Church created the State’s first land trust model to preserve affordable home-ownership housing. Since that time, Church has acquired or built 104 homes, sold the improvements to first-time homebuyers, retained ownership of the land and provided 99-year ground leases. Church currently has four homes under construction and recently completed and sold two new homes to low-moderate income homebuyers. Church currently owns five additional lots and construction will start when qualified buyers are found.
Church has assisted two separate mobile home parks to purchase their land, built an early-learning (HeadStart) facility, operates a homeless shelter, and currently provides transitional housing at their headquarters building in Newport.