Accelerating Towards Affordable Housing: A Partnership with the Brooklyn Borough President

Houses of faith play a vital role in solving the ongoing housing crisis in New York City. However, congregations are often forced to navigate financial, administrative, and zoning barriers without assistance. In 2025, the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office launched a new program in partnership with Bricks & Mortals to help houses of faith develop affordable housing.

The Divine Dwellings program was designed as an accelerator to help congregations reduce the significant amount of time and resources typically required to prepare to develop housing. The pre-development process, which can take years, was fast-tracked over a 12-month period.

This time included intensive technical assistance from Bricks & Mortals real estate members, pro bono legal counsel, academic partner expertise, and support from civic leaders, including the Brooklyn Borough President and Deputy Borough President. The pilot program launched with a cohort of eight houses of faith in Brooklyn, and included the following goals: 

• Discover what is possible for the faith institution’s property and real estate
• Identify the right partners for pre-development 
• Prepare to release a Request for Proposals / Request for Qualifications to find a development partner

Based on success rates for entering the affordable housing pipeline, including zoning, readiness and feasibility, the program’s goal was for at least one congregation to exit the cohort with the tools required to take this incredible next step.

The pilot far exceeded expectations, with three congregations forming pre-development partnerships to enter the affordable housing development pipeline. 

Of the cohort participants not moving forward with developing affordable housing on their property, one congregation with a smaller development site chose to off-ramp from the program to explore market-rate housing opportunities. 

Bricks & Mortals exists solely to support congregations in achieving the outcomes they want for their property. Some congregations interested in exploring affordable housing decide to move forward, but many decide that affordable housing is not the path for them. In all cases, we support exploration and outcomes that fit the needs of the individual congregation. 

Diving Dwellings would not have been possible without the leadership of Brooklyn President Antonio Reynoso and Deputy Borough President Kim Council, or the support of community partners LISC and Enterprise. 

After a successful first pilot program in 2025, the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office and Bricks & Mortals are excited to launch a second cohort in early 2026.