Hope Rises Village is the group of small homes we are hoping to build on the church grounds and rent out to families who are housing insecure. We are entering into this project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County. Below you will find a link to donate and volunteer, as well as many questions and answers that have engaged our community the last several months. Please contact Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County or First Presbyterian Church of Newport for more information or further questions.
To donate or volunteer for this important project – donate: https://www.hfhlc.org/hope-rises-village volunteer: https://www.hfhlc.org/volunteer
Q: I have heard about this project, but what is it again?
A: For a couple of years the church has been exploring the idea of helping to alleviate the community housing crisis by building small houses on the church’s property. A group of us have been charged with exploring this idea. We have started a collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, and together we have found that the greatest need is two or three-bedroom houses for single parents with children. The space on the east side of the church property can accommodate five of these small homes. We would like to give them a strong sense of community, so they would be arranged like a small village with front porches and picket fences. They would be homes any of us would be proud to live in.
Q: I am afraid that this project will cost the church money we don’t have, but the Exploration Team says it won’t cost the church anything. How can this be?
A: This project is being sponsored by the church and Habitat for Humanity, but neither group will be taking money out of their own operating funds to pay for the project. The money for the project will come through donations, fundraisers, and grants. In fact, the opposite will be true in the long-run; it is projected that the church operating funds will be partially supported by rent from the homes. Also, we will be adding hundreds of thousands of dollars of assets to the church property (for free).
Q: If we are in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, who collects the money for the project?
A: Habitat will hold the account while the houses are being built. They will have a designated fund that only deals with this project. Any funds gathered by the church or Habitat will go into this one account. When the houses are built, they will belong to the church with the expectation that we rent them to people who qualify for affordable housing.
Q: If it isn’t coming from the church funds, how will the money be raised for this project?
A: As the issue of homelessness becomes a bigger problem with each passing year, there have been more and more organizations who are willing to give grants and funds to local groups who are seeking to alleviate this burden on families. We plan on getting a grant that will allow us to navigate the grant process at both the government and private level so we can raise a majority of our funds this way. We will also be asking other churches, helping organizations, businesses, and the community to donate to this project.
Q: If the funds are coming from government and secular groups, are we allowed to use them for a church project? Are we allowed to share our faith with those around us as they are being built and lived in, or will our hands be tied in this regard?
A: All grants want to know what the mission and vision of our organization is before they potentially give us thousands of dollars for a major project. So they will know upfront that they are giving to a religious organization for a project that will be furthering the mission of our organization. We don’t have to cease being who we are and what we stand for.
Q: We are an older congregation with dwindling numbers. How are we going to support such a big project?
A: All of us can help in little or big ways, and part of the beauty of working with Habitat is that we aren’t alone. Not only do we get to draw from our own volunteer base, but we get to draw from Habitat’s as well. It is our hope that we will even encourage other churches and the community at large to donate volunteer hours to this worthy cause.
Q: Our church has suffered fractures and splits the last few years. Why are we doing such a big project for those outside the church when those inside the church need healing and unity.
A: Jesus brought unity and healing to those around him by teaching, but also by doing. They were constantly looking outside their group of disciples towards others, seeing how they could serve and be served by those on the outside. When they looked beyond themselves they were able to realize peace and direction to the group. Our church is in need of unity and healing, and looking beyond ourselves to where God is present in our community, towards those who have greater needs than us, is one of many steps we will be taking towards a healthy and whole future.
Q: With homelessness being such a big problem in our own backyard, why would we be welcoming more homeless people onto our property?
A: The people we seek to serve with this project are families that are housing insecure. Although they are also children of God and therefore deserving of our love and service, the homeless people we see on the streets each day and those who sleep on our back porch are not our main focus. We seek to be in partnership with families who have kids and are in need of a safe and stable place to live.
Q: I heard the small homes will go on the land that has the community garden. What will happen to the garden that has been a big part of this community?
A: The community garden will still be alive and well. We will move the garden to the north of where it is now (towards Chambers Court). There is a marshy area up there that we will clear the vegetation out of and the garden will go next to that along Benton St. This move will include re-piping the water-catch tanks out to the new location. The garden is not going away, rather the plans for that east side of the property accommodate both the homes and the garden.
Q: The insurance for this project is very important and we don’t want the church to have to take on extra cost or liability. Who will be covering this responsibility?
A: It is anticipated that our insurance needs will increase. The cost for the insurance for these homes will come out of the money that is collected from the homes, so it shouldn’t cost the church anything extra. Yet, it will be up to the church to make sure the insurance is covered. This goes for all of the utilities for the homes as well, they will be the responsibility of the church but covered by the money collected from the rent of the homes.
Q: What does the budget for this project look like?
A: There are two aspects to the budget, the building costs and the ongoing budget for the homes once they are built. Both of these are part of the plans for the project. We are fundraising and applying for grants for the money for building, and we will be doing the same for the ongoing budget along with collecting rent from the occupants. Part of the ongoing budget includes a part-time employee (of the church) who will be a property manager as well as supportive services for the families. If you want more information on the budget, please don’t hesitate to contact the Exploration Team. (Don Gray: dongray@charter.net)
Q: What will the homes look like?
A: The vision is to have five 2-3 bedroom homes that are around 800-1000 square feet arranged in a semi-circle. There will be walkways through the village, but no cars. Instead, the occupants will park in designated parking spots in the church lot, and of course, they can use street parking as well. We would put a picket fence around the village so others know they are private residences.
Q: We have such beautiful trees and a wetland area on that end of the property. What will come of all of these?
A: We will keep the hedges at the far east end of the property for privacy and as many of the trees that surround the space as possible. It is our goal to keep the big cedar trees in that area. The “wetland” is not actually a wetland, it is simply rain runoff that doesn’t drain very well. That area will be cleared of extra foliage and cleaned up a bit in the course of this project.
Q: Will we have to ask for rezoning of this area and deal with the City of Newport? Will that be a big hassle?
A: We have already approached the city about this project. The land that the church is on is zoned residential, and we got a variance to build a church here. This means we are welcome to build homes on this land in light of its original zoning. There are utilities that run under 12th and Benton streets, so hooking into those should not be too big of a problem. The city knows the ongoing need for affordable housing and is pleased to support this project however they can.
Q: I thought this project got indefinitely tabled over a year ago. Why are we still talking about this?
A: After we talked to the congregation a year and a half ago, along with the neighbors, we had a lot to think about. You all had some important concerns and interesting suggestions. We went back to the drawing board. Then COVID happened and this was not a focus for many of us for several months. This past fall the Exploration Team started meeting again and reporting back to Session. Session approved for us to move forward with this project to a limited extent; these included allowing us to raise funds, apply for grants, form official partnerships with other organizations, and explore specific plans for these homes. At that time they did not want to commit to actually building the homes. By March it was apparent to the Exploration Team in order to move ahead on this project, we would need approval for the whole project, including building the homes. It would not be prudent to get down the road another few months, and do all the work on this project, and then pull out at the last minute due to lack of support from our Board. So the Session talked about this again in March and the building of these homes was approved.
Q: I have some thoughts on all of this. When will I get a chance to be heard?
A: Session helped the Exploration Team realize that we have been too quiet about all of this in the past few months. That is why it is important to us that we give you as much information as we can. These Question and Answer Sheets are part of that, and we have other plans as well. We will be putting all this information into video form and make it available online. We will also be holding a discussion about this project at the end of worship on the 2nd of May. This discussion will be in person as well as on Zoom. If you would like to be part of this discussion but can’t make it that day, a couple of members of the Session or the Exploration Team will be happy to meet with you individually.
Q: When does the congregation get to vote on all of this?
A: The Session and the Exploration team have put together a team who will be planning the May 2nd gathering and giving out a survey at that time. We will also be sending out the survey via email, mail, and then calling people we haven’t heard from. It is our hope to hear from each individual that is connected to the church in regards to this project. A private donor will be providing supplies and postage for these mailers. The Session has already voted in approval of this project, but it is of the utmost importance to us that we hear from the congregation, the neighbors, and the community. We will take all of this information gathered into advisement.
Q: Speaking of neighbors, what do they think about all of this? How are they being given information and surveyed?
A: Being in a good relationship with our neighbors is very important. We are following a similar course of action to inform and listen to them. We will be giving them informational sheets, hosting a discussion with them, and collecting surveys.
