On Sunday February 18, the Building Beloved Community Committee (BBCC) met for nearly three hours to decide which of the three (3) potential joint venture partners we would select to help us in creating an affordable housing community on our campus at 8900 Georgia Avenue:
- NFP & Enterprise Community Partners.
- MHP (Montgomery Housing Partnership)
- AHC (Affordable Homes and Communities)
Since June 2023 we have met and communicated multiple times with each developer, toured some of their properties and developments, and independently interviewed numerous references. In addition, all three entities provided in-depth responses to a series of follow-up questions such as…
- How much experience has your team had in developing housing co-located with houses of worship?
- And… How do you maximize chances that the design of an affordable housing project will meet the needs of future residents and other users of the site?
All three proved themselves to be experienced and committed affordable housing developers. The BBCC is proud to report we have selected a partner who, we are confident, shares the values and mission of Silver Spring United Methodist Church, understands our vision, and can deliver a development that fulfills our goals. Among them:
- Provide a sustainable long-term revenue stream that will support continuation and growth of SSUMC ministries indefinitely.
- Offer housing to households with a range of incomes and a variety of family structures with differing social support needs.
- Fit in well aesthetically with the surrounding Woodside neighborhood.
- Continue to be a Silver Spring community hub for our current church partners, and nearby community groups and events, and offer community use space.
For more information on our planning, process, and selection criteria, we encourage you to review this Supplemental Information document that outlines the who, how, and why of our Committee’s continued work.
We are delighted to share that, as announced on Sunday, April 7th, 2024 in a hybrid gathering, the team overwhelmingly selected NFP and Enterprise Community Partners as our partners on this journey. We encourage you to watch that hybrid announcement, as well as review previous discernment gatherings and presentations, here. Negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are currently underway, along with important planning regarding the development of a Master Plan for our campus and ministry spaces. More information about how you can engage that process
Anticipating our partner selection, we applied with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation to create an independent LLC, the legal entity enabling the church to be part of a joint venture with our selected developer. Tentatively named “Beloved Community LLC”, and have since been approved by the State.We signed an agreement with WB Treece consultants for a capital needs assessment to get a better understanding of the asset that IS Silver Spring United Methodist Church at 8900 Georgia Avenue. That process is underway; following an extensive survey and inspection of the property, we should get a final report by the end of April, at which time will be posted on our webpage.
Building Beloved Community Committee members continue to be diligent, deliberate and mission-focused in this existentially important church effort. We all feel confident in our partner selection, energized by the process and excited for what’s ahead in the life of Silver Spring United Methodist Church.