Model 2: Rental Housing

Rehab of Apartment Buildings~ The Inward and Outward Journey

In the introduction to this model, Marian Bray and Jill Shook tell of Church of the Saviour’s beginnings, their commitment to covenant communities, and the Inward and Outward Journey. This model has resulted in a multiplication of ministries that thirty years later are still transforming Washington D.C.

Terry Flood, pictured here, was one of five initial players who envisioned Jubilee Housing. The relentless commitment of this group inspired Jim Rouse to begin the Enterprise Foundation, now the largest nationwide organization offering funding and technical support for affordable housing. Since the 1970s, churches from across the U.S. travel to Church of the Saviour to learn from this ministry model, first conceived by Rev. Gordon Cosby. As Gordon envisioned his church, he became increasingly convinced that the greatest impact on the world comes about because of small groups of highly committed, disciplined people focused on inward growth and outward ministries.

In the chapter, Susan P. Ortmeyer and Jill Shook recount the birth of Jubilee housing around tables at the Potter’s House Coffee Shop on Colombia Road—and its rebirth 30 years later. With names like The Ritz and The Mozart (pictured  here), who would have thought they had over 900 housing code violations and were teeming with frustrated, poor residents? But for the Church of the Saviour, these deteriorating buildings were a special gift from God. Jubilee Housing, located in Adams-Morgan, today is an upscale, trendy neighborhood.  Yet, Jubilee has maintained rents 40% of the market rate,  in the eight buildings they have acquired—in a city where housing costs are among the most expensive in the country. 

Jubilee Housing has also been the birthing place for many other ministries such as Christ House, pictured here, which began when church members saw minor health conditions escalate for the homeless because they had no place to recover.

Links:

·       Enterprise Foundation www.enterprisecommunity.org/index.html

·       Servant Leadership School www.slschool.org/pages/aboutus/10history.html

·       Potters House Books www.pottershousebooks.org/index.html

·       Church of the Saviour’s Ministries: www.inwardoutward.org/?page_id=8