The Local Initiatives Support Corp. helps resident-led, community-based development organizations turn distressed neighborhoods into healthy ones and works to increase the amount of affordable housing. Its home page links to 30 offices across the country.

Jerry Konohia is CEO of the OpenDoor Housing Fund, which provides financing for affordable housing to nonprofit and for-profit developers and tenant associations in the Washington, D.C., area. It was created in July 2007 through the merger of the Washington Area Housing Trust Fund and the Unitarian Universalist Affordable Housing Corp. It has a subfund […]

Enterprise Community Partners helps build affordable housing for low-income Americans by providing financing and expertise to community and housing developers. It has begun a new push to partner with congregations. It has offered workshops to teach clergy about tax credits and other issues and also bought property from churches in order to build affordable housing.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition wants to end “America’s affordable housing crisis” and is active in pushing the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act in Congress.

LaQuerencia is a 28-unit cohousing project under development in Fresno, Calif. Many members are Unitarians.

The 25-family Bartimaeus Cohousing Community at Meadow Wood opened in Bremerton, Wash., in 2006. Bartimaeus is multigenerational and based on Christian faith and practices. Media contact is John Parsons.

The Elder Cohousing Network in Davis, Calif., an eight-household community, opened in January 2006 as the first elder cohousing development in the country. Members range in age from 76 to 92; the community grew out of a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Davis.

Karen Hester co-founded Temescal Creek Cohousing in North Oakland, Calif. The project had roots in a local United Methodist congregation. She has over 20 years of experience with group projects, grassroots organizations and communities.

Mustard Seed Associates in Seattle is a network for Christians interested in cultural innovation. It is a resource for information about cohousing.