Shiloh Baptist Church of Tacoma in Washington, has completed the development of 60 affordable housing units located directly across from their sanctuary.
The project, known as Shiloh New Life Apartments, was finalized in January and consists of two separate building complexes.
Construction started in August 2023, with the Lily V. Brazill building opening in September and the James and Marilyn Walton building opening in January. Since their inauguration, both buildings have been fully occupied with new residents.
Shiloh Baptist Pastor Chavis Young explained to The Christian Post earlier this week that the church’s motivation for building the housing was rooted in their belief that they have “always believed in being a tangible expression of God’s love in our community.”
“As we witnessed the growing housing crisis and the impact it was having on families — particularly those with low or fixed incomes — we felt a deep spiritual and moral call to respond,” he added.
Reflecting on the development process, Young said, “Like any major development project, there were initial hurdles — zoning approvals, building permits and navigating city regulations, however, we found that by being transparent, collaborative and committed to the community’s well-being, many local authorities became partners in the process.”
Pastor Young stated that he believed the housing project fulfilled the Gospel’s call “to love our neighbors, care for the marginalized, and serve ‘the least of these,’” emphasizing that “these housing units are more than buildings — they are a living testimony of what it looks like when the Church becomes the hands and feet of Jesus.”
