Stable, affordable housing paired with supportive services can strengthen health, stability and opportunity. Yet too often, the ingredients needed to create it—land, trusted community relationships, services, expertise and early-stage capital—do not come together in one place.
Lutheran Services in America’s Health Through Housing initiative is designed to change that.
Across our network of 300 member organizations in 1,400 communities, Lutheran social ministries and congregations are already exploring how land and other assets can further their mission. Health Through Housing connects those local opportunities with the partnerships, technical assistance and catalytic capital needed to move service-enriched affordable housing from concept to construction—and to help successful approaches spread across communities.
The initiative brings together four powerful assets: land, trust, services and capital. Through Lutheran Services in America’s newly launched Flexible Loan Fund, national and local partnerships, and hands-on technical support, Health Through Housing aims to help create 5,000 new housing units serving 17,000 residents by 2029.
Two projects show what is already possible.
- California Lutheran Homes Foundation is transforming underutilized church property in Santa Barbara into 64 service-enriched affordable homes for older adults.
- Inspiritus, in partnership with Nelson Community Partners, developed 80 affordable homes in Nashville for older adults and people with disabilities, with services and amenities including a free grocery store, community kitchen and therapeutic art studio.
Join us September 8 at 3 p.m. ET for “Health Through Housing: Bringing Partnerships, Services and Capital Together.”
Hear from John Moeller of Inspiritus, Deacon Nancy Ackerman of California Lutheran Homes, and other field leaders about what it takes to turn local assets into housing that strengthens communities. We’ll explore how church and community partnerships, early-stage capital and technical assistance can work together—and how Lutheran Services in America is building a national platform to help more communities put those pieces in place.
You’ll leave with:
- A clear picture of how church land and other community assets can become affordable housing with services.
- Lessons from California Lutheran Homes and Inspiritus about what it takes to move projects from vision to reality.
- An understanding of the capital, partnerships and technical support available through Health Through Housing.
- Concrete ways your organization can engage in—and help shape—this growing national strategy.
Housing needs are local, but communities across the country face many of the same barriers to getting projects built. Health Through Housing is designed to connect what works, unlock the resources needed to move projects forward, and help proven solutions reach more communities.