Security Concerns Amid Middle East Conflict
In the wake of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, Mayor Adams urged synagogues to consider increasing security. The NYPD has also stated they would increase monitoring of “key institutions”. Synagogues and others are hosting prayer sessions, vigils, and offering support in the wake of the conflict.
This comes amid recent efforts to increase security at houses of worship in the United States, due to increasing security threats and discrimination. In the face of such threats, new information is being shared to help combat discrimination, including the White House’s recent release of the Allied Against Hate: A Toolkit for Faith Communities, which conveys a national strategy to work collectively against bigotry and bias.
NYC Faith-Based Real Estate
Recently Jamaica Queens faith and community members were able to learn more about the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan during a community visioning meeting intended to kickstart a collaborative community plan for the neighborhood. This was followed by a Faith-Based Organization Breakfast, providing an overview on the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan and the City of Yes.
In Chelsea, the 120 year old Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on West 14th Street received tremendous community support to obtain landmark status after being deconsecrated in January. Advocates are working to preserve this church, the first Spanish church in the city.
New York is still debating how to manage the influx of migrants. A new City Council proposal removes restrictions on shelter time limits, while Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul state there should be limits on the right to shelter.
This month several other economic developments led to observable impacts on the New York real estate market. First, while the Federal Reserve opted not to increase rates, there is good reason to believe that increased rates are still coming, with several indicators like the strong job market likely to play a role in what could create rising rates for mortgages and other real estate costs. Insurance rate hikes may continue as well, threatening to curb affordable housing development due to the added costs of construction. Also notable this month is the news that Florida has just overtaken New York as the second largest US housing market.
Faith Organizations in their Communities
One Manhattan congregation has been credited with serving over two million meals for New Yorkers and migrants. In a letter to Trinity Church congregation, Rev. Phillip A. Jackson wrote: “Their arrival has been the subject of a constant barrage of news and noise, and meeting the needs of this growing community may seem an overwhelming — if not impossible — task. But it’s not. In fact, it’s the very work we’re here to do,”
A series of midweek worship services celebrating Black women spirituality was recently started by Imagine Worship NYC at St. Bart’s. One service featured songs by Lauren Hill, H.E.R., and other Black women artists, included reflections on female Biblical characters, and contemporary figures including Alice Walker and Michelle Obama. The Thursday meetings are one of many initiatives the church is implementing to draw people and counter the trend of declining church membership and participation across The Episcopal Church.
Earlier this month, pets and animals were blessed in honor of the feast of the patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisi, including hundreds of cats, dogs, ponies, ostriches, and even a camel, at just one Episcopal church in the city.
A Eucharist procession traversed New York City attracted hundreds of participants on Tuesday evening. This was conducted as part of a mass and event led by the Catholic Napa Institute during their Principled Entrepreneurship Conference.
National Faith-Based Real Estate Updates
Several notable faith-based real estate activities are underway, including in California where lawmakers introduced SB4 “Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act” also known as “Yes in God’s Back Yard” relaxing zoning requirements for religious groups who elected to build affordable housing on their land, and enabling “churches [to] become California’s most important affordable housing developers.” This legislation - consisting of 56 bills to help address California’s housing crisis - was signed into law by Governor Newsom. “Yes in God’s Back Yard” legislation is set to be put forward in New York State in 2023-2024.
In a large Presbyterian Conference that took place last week in St. Louis, attendees heard ideas about how to innovate their church properties to benefit their communities, including earned income models and financing strategies.
Faith groups in Chicago are also reckoning with how to use faith-owned properties to mitigate the migrant crisis. Individual faith based entities and interfaith groups are discussing options and considerations such as reopening closed churches and ways to finance security for those programs.
Recently, the US made history when the US House of Representatives opened its session with a Sikh prayer, which invoked blessings for members of Congress and all of humanity. That same day a bipartisan Congressional caucus was launched dedicated to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains residing in the United States.
Finally, the Washington National Cathedral revealed racial justice themed windows replacing windows featuring Confederate themes. According to the Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, the Cathedral's Dean, the new windows "lift up the values of justice and fairness and the ongoing struggle for equality among all God's great children."
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