“People don’t really know Hudson Road,” says Pastor Scott Page of the location on the outskirts of Rogers, Arkansas, where he chose to build his church, Christ and Neighbor.
“It used to be this thriving place. But now, it’s forgotten in Northwest Arkansas.”
As the region adapts to a growing population, rising cost-of-living and shifting economy, Page’s 125-member congregation has set a clear vision: create a church that addresses both the spiritual and physical needs of the region’s most vulnerable populations.
The space currently houses the first church-operated warming shelter in Benton County, providing warm meals, clean bathrooms and a safe place to spend the night.
Today, Northwest Arkansas is one of the 20 fastest-growing regions in the country, estimated to reach 1 million people by 2050. Since 2019, the region has experienced nearly a 50% rise in median rent for multifamily housing and a 70% increase in home prices.
Christ and Neighbor Church is just one of many area congregations who see their mission to serve their neighbors align with a growing demand for housing in Northwest Arkansas, where more than 9,000 additional affordable housing units are needed.
Currently, the church is working with city officials to advance plans for affordable, permanent housing on the property up to 30 units.
“These are people working jobs, sometimes multiple jobs, who still cannot afford rent,” says Pastor Page. “Everyone deserves a roof over their head if that’s their desire. We are all about dignity. That’s the dream, to give people a place they can call their own.”
Churches know the value of their land. They could sell it, but they want to use it for the greatest purpose.
As local leaders seek solutions to support smart regional growth and keep housing affordable, nonprofit organizations like the Urban Land Institute are stepping in to identify and nurture new, innovative options for faith-based groups to become part of the housing solution
In Northwest Arkansas, the Urban Land Institute’s regional chapter has launched Faithful Foundations, an initiative that helps faith-based communities leverage underutilized land for affordable housing.
Through workshops, coaching and technical assistance, faith leaders like Pastor Page are learning how to plan, fund and develop housing projects that align with their missions and values.
Nationwide, conversations about faith-based housing are growing as communities look for ways to shelter residents safely and affordably. In Northwest Arkansas alone, ULI has identified seven square miles of tax-exempt religious property that could potentially be developed.
Candi Adams, Director of Signature Programs at ULI NWA, explains the alignment of values between ULI and local churches.
“At ULI, our priority is ethical land use and attainable housing, and our churches are already the boots on the ground in so many neighborhoods when it comes to community support. The goal is to find the overlap between their mission and ours,” she says. “Churches know the value of their land. They could sell it, but they want to use it for the greatest purpose. They want to capitalize on their asset in a way that also reflects the mission of what they are already doing.”
For five months, the inaugural cohort of six churches from Rogers, Fayetteville, Springdale and Bentonville has met every other week to learn from ULI’s Faithful Foundations Leadership Team—a group of local professionals in real estate development, finance, design, policy, housing advocacy, and faith-based or nonprofit housing. The program culminates in a formal pitch competition, giving each church the opportunity to develop feasible, mission-aligned proposals and seek partners for their projects.
Pastor Page says that participating in the Faithful Foundations workshop series helped his team clarify the church’s “who” and “why.” For now, Christ and Neighbor intends to focus its housing efforts on women, particularly single mothers across a range of income levels, fostering supportive relationships and mentoring among residents.
On the other side of Rogers, Pastor Shawn Wallace of First Christian Church also participates in Faithful Foundations. Occupying nearly 11 acres in East Rogers, the church hosts a variety of programs, including after-school care, a summer program and a food pantry that serves 80–100 families weekly. “These are humble, kind people with good hearts,” says Pastor Wallace. “If the church can’t be a place where everyone has space, then there’s no hope for the world.”
Inspired by a session on land trusts during a Faithful Foundations workshop, Pastor Wallace began envisioning homeownership opportunities for working families and single mothers on a recently purchased one-acre lot.
With support from the ULI Leadership Team, initial plans now include two-bedroom, two-story townhomes. “I’d like to build something that helps working families own a home, something that can be a source of pride in Rogers,” he says.
In Springdale, Arkansas, Pastor Albious Latior leads the Marshallese congregation at Arkansas Jarin Rarik Dron, United Church of Christ. “Our community is a really close-knit community, everybody knows each other. We love to gather,” he says.
On recently purchased land, Pastor Latior is building a church and events center in Springdale, as well as housing for his community, who he says are being impacted by rising housing costs.
“Rent is skyrocketing. A lot of Marshallese have been evicted from their apartments. We want to build shelter to help these families that are having a hard time.” Of Faithful Foundations, Pastor Latior says it’s a resource that “can help our community stay, that can help us be Arkansas residents forever.”
Candi notes that while each church’s goals vary, all share a mission to meet the needs of their communities. “Some churches are looking at transitional housing, while others want long-term, stabilized housing. Our goal [through the training] is to be as broad as possible, and to help them develop feasible, relevant and appropriate proposals for their property.”
“It’s a community of people helping each other say, ‘let’s climb this hill together.’”
Back on Hudson Road, Pastor Page is working hard to ensure that as the rest of the region grows, his community’s most vulnerable neighbors aren’t forgotten. While he admits to sometimes feeling daunted by the magnitude of the challenge, he finds hope in this new network of support.
“It’s a community of people helping each other say, ‘let’s climb this hill together.’ When I’m discouraged, someone else encourages me, and I can do the same for them.”
