Baltimore Houses of Worship Complete Training on Developing Affordable Housing
June 12, 2017
Contact: Office of Government and Public Affairs
Phone: 410.837.5739
The University of Baltimore's Schaefer Center for Public Policy and Enterprise Community Partners will host the second annual graduation ceremony for the Baltimore Faith-Based Development Certificate Program on Friday, June 23 at 10 a.m. in the UB Student Center’s Wright Theater, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave.
The program provides training and technical assistance to houses of worship in Baltimore that seek to develop affordable housing and community facilities. It responds to a significant unmet need: approximately 70,000 households in the Baltimore region lack affordable housing.
"The Schaefer Center is excited to be engaged with Enterprise Community Partners in this program to prepare houses of worship in the successful implementation of capital projects that make a difference in the lives of Baltimoreans," said Ann Cotten, director of the Schaefer Center. "In addition to supporting the development of physical space, we are training a cadre of faith leaders who can mentor and inspire other leaders to do the same in their communities."
This year, five area houses of worship participated in the program:
- Ames Memorial United Methodist Church
- Mount Moriah Baptist Church
- Nazarene Baptist Church
- Pleasant Hope Baptist Church
- St. Matthew’s New Life United Methodist Church
The graduation ceremony will feature presentations on planned development projects by four houses of worship, along with an evaluation of the proposed projects by a panel of experts. The program will also feature a project update by a graduate from last year’s inaugural cohort of participants.
"Enterprise is pleased to celebrate this progress in helping houses of worship extend beyond their sanctuary walls to provide critically needed affordable housing and services to Baltimore communities," said David Bowers, vice president and Mid-Atlantic market leader for Enterprise Community Partners. "We appreciate our collaboration with the Schaefer Center and look forward to continuing our work with houses of worship and development sector partners to expand opportunities for Baltimore-region residents."
Among the speakers scheduled to appear on June 23 are:
- Bernard C. "Jack" Young, president of the Baltimore City Council
- Marc Steiner, WEAA radio host and founder of the Center for Emerging Media
- Roger Hartley, dean of the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore
- Ann Cotten, director of the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore
- Rev. David Bowers, vice president and market leader for Enterprise Community Partners
- Rev. David Franklin, pastor, Miracle City Church and a 2016 graduate of the program
Learn more about the Baltimore Faith-Based Development Certificate Program and the University of Baltimore's Schaefer Center for Public Policy.
Learn more about Enterprise Community Partners.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
Enterprise Community Partners is a proven and powerful nonprofit that improves communities and people’s lives by making well-designed homes affordable. We bring together the nationwide know-how, partners, policy leadership and investments to multiply the impact of local affordable housing development. Over 35 years, Enterprise has created nearly 470,000 homes, invested $28.9 billion and touched millions of lives.