Nadia Mian, Senior Program Director at the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement, announced on Mar. 19 the launch of the Affordable Housing and Shelter on Faith Land Database and an accompanying report. The new online resource catalogs affordable housing developments and shelters built on religious property in the United States between 2015 and 2025.
The database is designed to help users search for projects by characteristics such as cost, size, religion or denomination, location, housing type, and year of completion. Each entry aims to provide images and detailed information about each project, including descriptions, professionals involved, congregation details, and financing.
The accompanying report analyzes trends from 200 development projects included in the database. It examines which religions and denominations are building affordable housing and shelters, where these projects have been constructed, historic properties involved, types of housing provided, project sizes, and sources of financing. The project received funding from the Duke Endowment and Trinity Church Wall Street.
According to the official website, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy recognized distinguished alumni through its Hall of Fame since 2013 and annual achievement awards dating back to 1994. The school has advanced social impact through research centers focused on community development, transportation, health, workforce development, and energy policy according to its official website. National rankings include third place for its graduate urban planning program and fourth for its undergraduate public health program according to the official website.
The Edward J. Bloustein School operates as part of Rutgers University according to its official website and focuses on fostering just, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and healthy communities at various levels according to its official website. Stuart Shapiro became dean of the school in 2023 according to the official website.
Users who utilize information from the new database in their work are asked to credit it appropriately.