In February, members of Wilmington’s faith community, consisting of Christians from various churches, convened a meeting with several local non-profit organizations to address the ongoing housing crisis in the area.
One Christian Network organized the event, which took place on February 22 at the First Baptist Church Activity Center.
The group highlighted that an income of $60,600 is necessary to afford the Fair Market Rent in New Hanover County.
For individuals earning below this threshold, the group discussed potential solutions, such as mobilizing local churchgoers to construct accessory dwelling units in their backyards, renting out unused bedrooms in their homes, and encouraging churches to utilize any additional properties they own for developing neighborhoods of small homes.
A follow-up event is scheduled for April 9 at The Roastery, located at 24 South 16th Street, starting at 11 am. Church leaders will have the opportunity to engage with experts regarding strategies for utilizing church property for housing and other outreach needs. While the event is open to the public, registration is required. Additional information can be found on the One Christian Network website.